Gordon Bitter | Modern Sailing

Gordon Bitter

Instructor

Gordon’s sailing journey began in northern Germany, where his very first day on the water was a memorable passage from Stralsund to Bornholm in strong Beaufort 8 conditions. That early introduction set the tone for a lifelong passion for sailing, seamanship, and learning. 

Since then, Gordon has logged thousands of nautical miles as skipper and crew across a wide range of waters, including the Baltic and North Seas, the Mediterranean, the Windward Islands, French Polynesia, the Sea of Cortez, and the Pacific Northwest. His experience spans everything from coastal cruising and navigation to offshore passages and international chartering. 

Gordon began instructing in Seattle in 2019, teaching in the Puget Sound, the San Juan Islands, and into British Columbia. In 2023, Gordon relocated to the Bay Area, teaching with Club Nautique from 2023 to 2025. 

When he’s not teaching, Gordon can usually be found exploring new cruising grounds, refining his navigation skills, or planning the next sailing adventure.

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  • Trudy Flores

    Captain Jeff Cathers is really cool. I had such a great time on the Farallones Day Trip. It was actually my very best day of 2020. Thank you so much for coordinating the trip.

  • Mike, Santa Rosa, California

    All of the courses and my instructors (JT and Stan) were extremely professional and full of knowledge and experience. I found I was able to learn from their experiences beyond the scope of the courses, and look forward to future opportunities to do so. I would highly recommend Modern Sailing to anyone.

  • Sara Jane G.

    I've taken two classes at MSS&C and was very happy with the program. This is also a great club with lots of opportunities for camaraderie and practice on the water. The boats in the fleet are fantastic and kept in tip-top shape. I highly recommend for all sailors and would-be sailors!

  • Emma & George Stubbs, Sausalito

    We just took our ASA 106 at a school in Rhode Island as we prepare for 6 months of cruising in the Caribbean. The class was great, but more than anything it made us really appreciate the quality of teaching and rigor at Modern Sailing. Even though we were the newest to sailing, the group seemed to think that we had the best fundamentals. We felt very well prepared and we see why Modern Sailing has the reputation it does.

  • Lisa Butzer Wilde

    Thumbs up to (Club Skipper) Geoff (Love) and his wife Laura. I went on my first Club Sail on Sunday, January 18, 2026. They were terrific!

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