From the US Marine Corps to the Mini Transat, aboard a Manuard proto
Peter Gibbons-Neff Jr — "PGN" — 36 years old, based in Annapolis (Maryland). Intelligence officer in the US Marine Corps for about ten years (Afghanistan, anti-narcotics missions, amphibious deployments with the US Navy), he left active duty in summer 2021 and remains a reservist in the USMC. His Mini 6.50 is called "Terminal Leave" — the final leave before the end of service, an intentional pun for a serviceman transitioning to the open sea.
A classic Annapolis sailing path
Trained on 420s at the Severn Sailing Association in Annapolis, he joined the Varsity Offshore team of the US Naval Academy during his four years at USNA (class of 2011). The standard East Coast academic path for competitive sailing: junior club, university team, then professional life. Except that in his case, professional life was the Marine Corps.
Mini Transat 2023: a transatlantic race completed with a single rudder
In September 2020, he purchased "Terminal Leave" (production Mini 6.50, sail number USA 837) and began qualifying for the Mini Transat. In 2023, he started from Les Sables d'Olonne, stopped in Santa Cruz de La Palma (Canary Islands), then headed for Saint-François in Guadeloupe. Around 2,300 nautical miles from the finish, he lost a rudder. Detour for repairs, then he completed the race. It’s exactly the kind of incident that ends the race for half the fleet; PGN finished.
PGN Ocean Racing: a Manuard foiling proto for the 2027 Transat
He set up the "PGN Ocean Racing" team and switched categories. New boat: a Mini 6.50 foiling prototype designed by Sam Manuard, under construction at JPS Production in La Trinité-sur-Mer (Nicolas Groleau’s yard). Launch planned for spring 2026, two seasons of tuning, then the Mini Transat 2027 (La Rochelle → Salvador de Bahia). The project is partnered with US Patriot Sailing, the association supporting American veterans through offshore sailing.
Achievements
- Mini Transat 2023 — Les Sables d'Olonne → Santa Cruz de La Palma → Saint-François (Guadeloupe), aboard "Terminal Leave" (production Mini 6.50, USA 837). Finish completed despite losing a rudder 2,300 nautical miles from the finish.
- 2026 season — tuning of the Sam Manuard Mini 6.50 foiling prototype (built by JPS Production, La Trinité-sur-Mer).
- Mini Transat 2027 (target) — La Rochelle → Salvador de Bahia, under the colors of PGN Ocean Racing / US Patriot Sailing.
- Training: Varsity Offshore Sailing Team, US Naval Academy (USNA class of 2011); original club: Severn Sailing Association, Annapolis.
