Barrett (1935-2000)was a participant in multiple Olympic Games, sailing in three. He won a silver in the Finn in 1964 and a gold in the Star in 1968.
Barrett was also instrumental in the growth of North Sails, the worlds leading manufacturer of racing sails. However, the bespectacled Midwesterner is probably best remembered for his unyielding commitment to fair play and his willingness to share his experience and knowledge with any and all of his competitors.
He was a firm believer in the unlimited potential of the human spirit. “In any competitive endeavor,” he wrote in Sailing Worlds predecessor One-Design Yachtsman in 1965, “success goes to those who most want to succeed. Our heritage is full of stories of men who rose to the top simply because they wanted to so badly.” Barrett exemplified this ethic.
