Sea Cadets is the UK's largest maritime youth charity, established in 1856 and working in over 400 Units with 14,000 cadets aged between 10 and 18. Cadets learn life skills like leadership and team work through nautical adventure activities, and can earn extra qualifications which give youngsters a head start.

In the last year more than 40 local youths from the Cowes community have benefitted from the Cowes branch of the Sea Cadet organisation. Cadets meet every Monday and Thursday evening and about once a month on a weekend. The Cowes Unit is lucky to have a purpose built waterfront site on the Medina River. Post COVID it has a growing number of Cadets, qualified adult instructors and supporting volunteers. It has a wide range of boats which the cadets on on the Medina River and elsewhere on the Isle of Wight, including paddleboards, canoes, rowing and sailing dinghies.

To support the Cadets on the water from a safety aspect in covering the waterborne activities and offer up to date training, we need are old (increasingly unreliable) and unsuitable rigid inflatable boat. The replacement would meet the Sea Cadets Corps requirements and is a Ribcraft 5.85m Commercial Specification (Spec'd around RYA PB L2, Coastal work and Intermediate).