Bio

With well over 70,000 miles of sailing, a majority earned during competition all over the globe, Kerry Deaver was hired to serve as Cal Maritime’s sailing coach in January, 2003.

In addition to racing numerous times from the mainland to Hawai’i, Deaver’s travels allowed her to visit the usual hot spots of sailing — the Mediterranean, Caribbean, Bahamas and Pacific Islands — the Azores, Canaries, and Cape Verde Island. 

In addition to her home waters off the California coast, Channel Islands, and numerous trips to Mexico, some of her more unique trips included sailing the Panama Canal, the Drake Passage to Antarctica and across the Mediterranean to Tunisia.

Kerry’s passion for sailing extends to all things involving water since her conservation interests lie in keeping the oceans and lee shores free of plastics that are overwhelming the seas.

Under Deaver’s leadership, Cal Maritime returned to the Transpacific Yacht Race, competing as the only college team against a field of the world’s top professionals, in 2023 and 2025.  This experience led to the program’s inaugural appearance (in the team’s recorded history) in the 2026 Pacific Cup.

“I enjoy being a small part of each student’s journey as they transition to their professional careers,” said Deaver. “While this year’s team skews young, I am confident their skills and competitive drive will strengthen as the season progresses.”

Deaver is a member of the Transpac Board of Directors since 2013 and the Chief Inspector since 2023. She is currently a member of the U.S. Safety at Sea Committee, a position held since 2020.

Outside of coaching, Deaver is a CPA with a degree in business economics from UC Santa Barbara. She also holds a U.S. Coast Guard 100-ton credential for sail and power boats.