GOD bless her and all who sail in her.

The gallant yacht Vigilant was toasted in champagne as she was handed over at Lymington to members of the Sea Cadet Association.

The £120,000 yacht, built by local firm Blondecell, will be taking her first teenage crews to sea in a week.

Vigilant was funded by the Ministry of Defence as part of the Strategic Defence Review.

Commander Martin Pickering RN, director of Sea Cadet training, said: "There are more than 15,000 cadets countrywide, boys and girls, who will now have the chance to use this yacht. They will learn sailing and sea-manship of course, but also a bit of engineering, possibly some electronics, definitely navigation, and, most important, team-work."

Derek Mawhinney, who will skipper crews of five cadets on trips around the South Coast and across the Channel, said: "Kids get loads out of it.

"By the end of a trip they are changing sails and bringing her alongside by themselves. I stand back and let them get on with it."

Tony Brewer, managing director of Blondecell, of Sway, said: "We designed Vigilant to be cadet-proof. She has safe toe-rails and guard wires, and nice deep cockpits. And grown men swung on the handrails inside, to make sure they couldn't be pulled off. "

Vigilant joins the training ship City Liveryman - also built at Sway - and the square-rigger Royalist to make up the present Sea Cadet Association fleet. Another SCA yacht is already under way.

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