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About the Author

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About the Author: Nigel Barrow

After years of braving the cold and wet in full-sized sailing, Nigel Barrow has found his passion firmly on dry land in the world of radio sailing. His fleet includes the International One Metre (IOM), DF95, and Marblehead classes, each offering its own tactical challenges and rewards. As his involvement in the sport grew, so did his commitment to giving back, leading him to join the MYA Council as Racing Officer—an opportunity to shape the competitive landscape and support the community.

Nigel’s journey in sailing began at the age of 12, accelerating rapidly to national and international success. In 1973, he became International Cadet World and National Champion, followed by a Youth National title in 1974. His Olympic ambitions saw him training with the legendary Jim Saltonstall, culminating in a second-place finish in the 1976 Olympic trials for the 470 class. Four more years of campaigning for the boycotted Russian Olympics reinforced his dedication to competition, before transitioning into various successful dinghy and yacht racing campaigns.

Drawing on this wealth of experience, Nigel launched this website as a resource for those navigating the intricacies of IOM building, sailing, and racing. He aims to bring clarity to the fragmented information available online, supplementing it with his own insights and alternative approaches—most notably his glass epoxy build.

Since 2020, his focus has been refining his racing knowledge. What began as a personal experiment evolved into structured competition, ranking improvements, and hard-fought victories. His journey in IOM racing has been one of persistence: struggling in 2021 to find his footing in 20-boat fleets, placing 37th at the Nationals, climbing to 24th in 2022, and securing 2nd place in the Veterans Nationals that same year. By 2023, he put it all together—winning the Veterans Nationals, securing 5th in the ranking table, 6th at the Nationals, and 23rd at the Europeans.

Of course, sailing has its ups and downs—2024 proved a challenging year of experimentation, with more failures than successes. But 2025 started strong, with an early win. Time will tell how the season unfolds.

Through this site, Nigel hopes to support newcomers and experienced sailors alike in building their knowledge, refining their skills, and—most importantly—enjoying the sport. If you have valuable resources to share, feel free to send a link, and he’ll add it to the collection.

Wishing you fair winds and success in your sailing journey.

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