Roger Barnes was born in Carlisle in 1958 and spent his early childhood in the Lake District, paddling in the shallows of Windermere and dreaming of camping on an island like in Swallows and Amazons.

Later he owned a series of dinghies, which he sailed on the Cumbrian lakes and elsewhere. He has been president of the Dinghy Cruising Association for longer than he cares to remember, and is a passionate advocate for small boat sailing.