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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  • John Boynton

    The class was terrific. I know you must get many compliments about your sailing instructors...But I must tell you that Robert is outstanding. Having taught SCUBA, I really appreciate the way he is so sensitive to all on board, dealing with each so well, knowing quickly their strengths and weaknesses making each feel special and cared for.

  • 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.

  • Jessica Zittere, Member

    The Full Moon Sail with Skipper Bob Gutsgell was Ah-Mayzing!! The group dynamic was lovely and the views spectacular. I can't say enough good things about the experience. Thanks so much for the wonderful Club Sails, they are really great.

  • 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.

  • John Clark

    Every aspect of Modern Sailing - training, syllabus, course materials, quality of the boats, quality of the instructors, and the very friendly and helpful staff - exceeded my expectations. Modern Sailing has a first class sailing program in an environment with challenging winds and currents. I look forward to coming back to charter a boat and certainly plan to continue my sailing training.

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