Sea Cadet Harry Avard, from Falmouth, has become one of only 16 cadets out of 14,000 nationally, to achieve the challenging Advanced Seamanship qualification this year.

Harry’s achievement is part of a new national partnership with Carnival and Sea Cadets. Carnival Corporation, parent company of P&O Cruises and Cunard, is supporting the sea cadets' seamanship qualification which enables cadets aged ten to 18 to broaden their career options in the maritime industry.

The qualification tests cadets on their knowledge of rope work, rigging, splicing and whipping, canvas work and decorative rope work. Practical tests include working in a team to rig equipment such as sheer legs, gyns and derricks.

Harry, 16, who is a Petty Officer Cadet, joined Falmouth & Penryn Sea Cadets because he was looking for something to do away of school. He said: “Joining the sea cadet unit has enabled me to make new friends and gain new qualifications, such as seamanship, dinghy instructor and power boat. It’s also given me the opportunity to be the Lord Lieutenant’s Cadet for Cornwall.

“On the Advanced Seamanship course you learn tips and tricks that are used to make amazing presentation pieces; such as I had to hand sew a hessian bag, decorate a pole with decorative knots, finishing with it covered up with different styles of knot. I demonstrated that I could tie certain knots and build a mini-rig with different set outs like sheer legs, gyns and derricks.

“I have gained so much from sea cadets not just qualifications but also once in a life time opportunities like sailing on the TS Royalist, the sea cadets’ tall ship, taking charge of a watch on one of our large power vessels and race in the Tall Ship Regatta from Falmouth to Royal Greenwich. In my future I hope to become a marine engineer in the Merchant Navy and pass on my skills to others at sea cadets.”