David Barnes (sailor)

David John Barnes (27 April 1958 – 23 October 2020) was a New Zealand America's Cup sailor, and three-time 470 world champion.

David Barnes

Personal information
Full name	David John Barnes
Born	(1958-04-27)27 April 1958 Wellington, New Zealand
Died	23 October 2020(2020-10-23) (aged 62)
Sport
Country	New Zealand
Sport	Sailing
Medal record Sailing Representing  New Zealand 470 World Championships 1981 Quiberon Open 1983 Weymouth Open 1984 Auckland Open 1982 Cascais Open

Early years

Born in Wellington, Barnes was educated at Tawa College. He married Karen in 1986, and the couple had three children.^{[citation needed]}

Sailing career

Barnes skippered the KZ1 yacht which lost to the United States in the 1988 America's Cup race.^[1][2][3]

Later years

Barnes was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. In 2013 he became involved with Kiwi Gold Sailing, a group of paralympians attempting to qualify a Sonar for the 2016 Paralympics. The team included fellow America's Cup veteran Rick Dodson. However, Barnes' condition worsened and he withdrew from the team in 2014.^[4]

Barnes died on 23 October 2020, aged 62.^[5]

Career achievements

• 1973 Won the Tanner Cup and Tauranga Cup PClass
• 1974 Won the National Championship Starling Class
• 1975 Third in World Youth Championship 420 Class
• 1976 Third in World Youth Championship Fireball Class
• 1976 Reserve for the Olympics 470 Class
• 1981 Won the World Championship 470 Class
• 1983 Won the World Championship 470 Class
• 1984 Won the World Championship 470 Class
• 1985 NZ America's Cup Challenge in Perth/Skipper KZ5/Alternate Helmsman KZ7
• 1987 Skipper for KZ7/won the 12 metre Worlds in Sardinia
• 1988 NZ America's Cup Challenge in San Diego/Skipper of KZ-1 New Zealand vs Dennis Conner's catamaran Stars & Stripes US-1.
• 1992 NZ America's Cup Challenge in San Diego/Tactician to Rod Davis/One of four directors for the campaign
• 1995 America's Cup Challenge with One Australia/Testing Helmsman/Part of "Fluid Thinking" design team
• 1996 Employed by James Farmer QC/Organised and supervised construction of his Mumm 36 Keelboat/Skipper for the campaign
• 2000 America's Cup Challenge with America True/Skippered one of the boats through the testing program/Conceptual Director
• 2003 America's Cup Challenge with GBR/General Manager

References

1. "Scuttlebutt News: 1988 America's Cup". Sailingscuttlebutt.com. Retrieved 5 October 2015.
2. Lloyd, Barbara (17 June 1990). "YACHTING; A Cup Rehearsal For New Zealand". The New York Times.
3. Patterson, Don (20 February 1991). "America's Cup '92: Kiwis Make Themselves at Home; Days Are Long, But Welcome Is Warm in Camp Coronado". Los Angeles Times.
4. "Finding their sea legs again: Former Team NZ hero and his Paralympics bid". Nzherald.co.nz. Retrieved 20 August 2017.
5. "Former Team New Zealand America's Cup sailor David Barnes dies". Stuff.co.nz. 23 October 2020. Retrieved 23 October 2020.

Awards
Preceded by Anthony Cuff	Lonsdale Cup of the New Zealand Olympic Committee 1981 1983 With: Hamish Willcox	Succeeded by Neroli Fairhall
Preceded by Neroli Fairhall		Succeeded by Ian Ferguson