Sea Cadets will today (Friday 15 September) help launch its new RS Zest dinghy at Southampton Boat Show, opening up exciting opportunities on the water to more young people.

The dinghy was designed by RS Sailing, in consultation with Sea Cadets, and builds on the success of the RS Quest dinghy that was unveiled in 2015. Sea Cadets will be match-funding 100 dinghies for units, ensuring no one misses out on securing the new addition. The charity currently has a fleet of 7,800 boats, 2,500 of which are sailing dinghies, and working with RS Sailing will allow Sea Cadets to reduce the burden of maintenance and repair. This means volunteers can focus on the delivery of safe, fun and challenging nautical adventure.

Units with limited access to water will benefit from the design, as RS Zest can operate in shallower water. They have grown from the RS Quests, with both sharing many of the same design features.

Tye Shuttleworth, Head of Inshore Boating at Sea Cadets, said: “We are delighted to help launch the new RS Zest dinghy, which will create an even better sailing experience for our cadets.  RS Sailing is the leader in this field, and working with them is a fantastic opportunity for the Sea Cadets. We look forward to seeing the RS Zest in action, and hope they help inspire even more young people to get out on the water.”