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

Early years

Born in Wellington, Barnes was educated at Tawa College. He married Karen in 1986, and the couple had three children.

Sailing career

Barnes skippered the KZ1 yacht which lost to the United States in the 1988 America's Cup race.

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. Barnes died on 23 October 2020, aged 62.

Career achievements