Bill Barnett

Bill Barnett (often referred to as Billy Barnett) was a renowned Sydney Harbour boat builder and designer based at Milsons Point, famous for building 18-foot skiffs, America’s Cup challengers (Dame Pattie), and specifically the International Dragon class yachts. Bill was the most prolific builder of timber Dragon class yachts in Australia, constructing 24 of them between 1959 and 1967. A 1961 Barnett-built Dragon named Kirribilli (KA 86) won the 1979 World Championship, making it the only Australian-built timber Dragon to achieve this feat. Known for producing fast, accurate, and durable wooden boats, Barnett’s Dragons were highly regarded in the competitive sailing community. His boatshed was located at Milsons Point, Sydney Harbour.