The CADET is a class of sailing dinghy designed to be sailed by two children up to the age of 17. It is a one-design class, originally designed by Jack Holt in 1947. CADETS are sailed worldwide in more than 40 countries.

In 1947, Yachting World organised a design competition for a beginners’ sailing dinghy that the current CADET-design won, becoming the only World Sailing International Class dedicated to double handed sailing for the age group of 6-17 year olds (junior class) and producing generations of top-notch sailors.

The International CADET Class is a tradition based innovative sailing class not afraid of re-inventing itself. As a technical racing training class it is the pre-eminent, pre-olympic, pre-high performance, unsurpassed double handed junior sailing class!

Unique dynamics between an older helm and a younger crew, empathy in motion and in practice, learning to deal with stress situations (e.g. start, mark rounding, bad weather), learning by doing, learning the usefulness of rules and to apply and debate them, family friendly class with large social cohesion.

Affordable double handed junior racing class, long service life, low threshold entry, easily transportable boats, closed class rules, can be maintained and repaired at home, worldwide network of first rate CADET builders, building licences available, hence cost effective local building.

Truly international class (on 4 continents, in more than 40 countries, spanning the globe), successfully feeds sailors into youth classes, international racing experience with European and World Championships, international networking and bonding at a young age makes for friends for life.

High rate of CADET sailors continues to race actively, high rate of ceo-material, impressive list of international Olympians with a CADET past, thousends of sail numbers issued, more than 200,000 CADET sailors.

The boat is crewed by two people and sails with a bermuda rigged mainsail, jib and spinnaker.

The CADET is the only recognised two persons youth-boat by World Sailing (formerly ISAF) as an International Competitive Youth Sailing Class since 1958. Thousends of CADETS have been built worldwide by registered licensed builders and are sailed internationally throughout Europe, Asia, Australia and South America. Originally made of wood, the majority of the international fleet is now constructed of fibreglass.

The CADET is 3.2 metres long, 1.38 m wide, and weighs 54 kilograms, with the centerboard up, the hull draft is 16 cm; the mast is deck-stepped and 5.22 m high, the mainsail area is 3.9 m2, the jib 1.26 m2 and the spinnaker 4.25 m2.

The side decks are designed so that a capsize normally does not fill the hull with water.

Design – One-Design

Role – Junior class

Boat Crew – 2

Draft – 0.16 m (without centreboard)

Trapeze – none

Hull Type – Monohull Construction (plywood or foam sandwich)

Hull weight – 54 kg (119 lbs)

LOA – 3.2 m (10 ft 6 in)

Beam – 1.38 m (4 ft 6 in)

Hull appendages – Keel/board type Centerboard

Rig type – Bermuda

Mast length – 5.22 m (17 ft)

Sails:

Mainsail area – 3.9 m2

Jib/genoa area – 1.26 m2

Spinnaker area – 4.25 m2