Two-time America’s Cup winner as a navigator aboard Stars & Stripes, Peter Isler is a TV commentator, motivational speaker, and author who has parlayed his life-long love of sailing into a successful career.

Internationally renowned sailor, motivational speaker and author, Peter Isler has parlayed his love of sailing into a career.

Inextricable from the America’s Cup since winning it as navigator aboard National Sailing Hall of Famer Dennis Conner’s Stars & Stripes in Australia in 1987, he has sailed in five Cup campaigns (most recently with the BMW Oracle Racing Team in Valencia, Spain), winning it twice. He founded two America’s Cup teams including the America³ women’s team which raced for the 1995 Cup. Serving as a TV commentator, Peter has been a member of two Emmy award-winning broadcast teams.  He has covered five America’s Cups (1992 and 1995 for ESPN and ABC Sports, 2003 and 2007 with Outdoor Life Network and VERSUS, 2011 ACTV and VERSUS/NBC Sports Network). Isler has entertained and motivated hundreds of groups including many Fortune 500 companies with his presentations.

Awarded Collegiate Sailor of the Year for North America while at Yale University, Isler moved on to Olympic class sailing and then the America’s Cup.

A prolific writer, he has been Editor at Large for Sailing World magazine, co-authored the best-selling book, Sailing for Dummies (Wiley), and wrote the acclaimed business book, At the Helm: Business Lessons for Navigating Rough Waters (Doubleday) with Peter Economy. His most recent title is Peter Isler’s Little Blue Book of Sailing Secrets (Wiley/Turner). Peter was a co-founder of the American Sailing Association. He is president of Isler Sailing International, Inc. At home in San Diego, he raises American Quarter Horses and plays guitar and keyboard in The Water Brothers and other local bands.

Accomplishments and Honors

Major Career Sailing Highlights

• Two-time America’s Cup Winner, Stars & Stripes Navigator
• Five America’s Cup campaigns as skipper, tactician and navigator
• Top-ranked U.S. skipper on the Professional Match Racing Circuit for five years
• Intercollegiate Sailor of the Year (Yale)
• Two-time Maxi Class World champion
• Newport Bermuda Race Winner record holder
• Pacific Cup (San Francisco to Hawaii) Winner
• Pineapple Cup winner (Florida to Jamaica) record holder
• Transpacific Yacht Race winner (Los Angeles to Honolulu) record setter
• Transatlantic Race Winner (Newport to England) record holder
• Puerto Vallarta Race (San Diego to Puerto Vallarta) winner record holder
• Marblehead to Halifax Race Winner
• U.S. Team Race Champion

Positions Held

• 2011-2014 Advisor, OneOcean
• 1994-2012 Advisor, International Yacht Restoration School
• 1992-2010 Vice Chairman, Yale Sailing Associates
• 1991-2010 Director, CBTF Co.
• Ca. 2001 Developed, with Nick White, Expedition Software – chart-plotting software
• 1991- present Editor at Large: Sailing World magazine
• 1984 Coach, U.S. Olympic Sailing Team
• 1983-present Director, American Sailing Association (co-founder and director)

Broadcasting background

• 2011 Analyst, ACTV – America’s Cup World Series (EMMY Award)
• 2007 Analyst, VERSUS Network – Louis Vuitton Cup and America’s Cup
• 2002-2003 Analyst, Outdoor Life Network – Louis Vuitton Cup Coverage
• 1996-2001 Host, Speedvision Network – Classics – series about classic vehicles
• 1996-1997 Host and Producer, Outdoor Life Network – Sailors’ Log – series
• 1994-1995 Producer, host writer, Prime Network, Dennis Conner’s Road to the America’s Cup series
• 1992, 1995 Consultant, ESPN/Silicon Graphics SailTrack – real time computer animation
• 1992 and 1995 Analyst, ESPN and ABC Sports America’s Cup Coverage, (over 175 hours live – EMMY Award)
• 1991-present Talent, Various Fox Sports Net, Speedvision, Outdoor Life and ESPN programs

Author

• Let’s Go Sailing, Hearst Marine & Simon & Schuster, 1987, 1993
• Sailing For Dummies, Wiley/IDG Books, 1997 and 2006, co-authored with JJ Isler
• At the Helm-Business Lessons for Navigating Rough Waters, Doubleday, 2000 with Peter Economy
• Peter Isler’s Little Blue Book of Sailing Secrets, Wiley/Turner, 2011