Thomas ’60, SM ’64, and Barbara Farquhar

“I never set foot in a sailboat until I went to MIT,” says Tom Farquhar ’60, SM ’64, for whom a learn-to-sail class launched a lifelong passion. Sailing became the primary avocation for Tom, now retired from a career in financial services, and his wife, Barbara, who grew up sailing on Lake Winnipesaukee. Tom, a guiding force behind US Sailing’s race officer training program, was responsible for all race management at the 1996 Olympic sailing venue in Savannah, Georgia. Barbara, a longtime international judge and umpire, was rules advisor and a team member for America³, the women’s team syndicate for the 1995 America’s Cup regatta in San Diego. Generous contributors to MIT sailing, they made a 2022 challenge gift that sparked more than 200 donations, and they have donated three dinghies, Prime Time, Osprey, and Pastime, to the MIT fleet. 5

How they describe being on a boat with the wind in their hair: “Freedom,” says Barbara. Says Tom, “It’s exhilarating.” 

On sailing’s challenges and appeal: “You need to know a lot about a lot of things, like the weather and the rules,” Tom says, “which to a novice can be daunting.” 

On why they support the MIT program: “Sailing enables you to develop a skill and make friends for the rest of your life,” says Barbara. Says Tom, “At MIT, the opportunity to sail is just across the street. The recreational program is unparalleled. I don’t think there’s another university that does as much as MIT to encourage people to learn to sail and improve their sailing skills.”

Help MIT build a better world. For more information, contact Candace Crabtree: 617-715-2838; ccrabtre@mit.edu. Or visit http://giving.mit.edu.