Peter Gibbons-Neff Jr ("PGN"), 36, is an American skipper based in Annapolis, Maryland. A US Marine Corps officer on active duty for about a decade (Afghanistan, Middle East, Mediterranean), he left active service in 2021 and remains a reservist in the USMC.
Trained in sailing on 420s at the Severn Sailing Association (Annapolis), he joined the Varsity Offshore team at the US Naval Academy during his four years of study (USNA class of 2011).
In 2023, he competed in the Terminal Leave (Mini 6.50 RG 650 series) and completed the La Rochelle–Salvador de Bahia leg despite losing a rudder 2,300 nautical miles from the finish.
With PGN Ocean Racing, he moves up a category: a Mini 6.50 foiling prototype designed by Sam Manuard, under construction at JPS Production (La Trinité-sur-Mer). Launch scheduled for spring 2026, two seasons of fine-tuning, then the Mini Transat 2027. The project is partnered with US Patriot Sailing, an association supporting American military veterans through offshore sailing.
