Kirk Ritter, Hinckley Yachts’ Southwest Harbor GM, Talks Service, Community, and the Value of “Coming Home”
General Manager, Hinckley Yacht Services Southwest Harbor
Speaking from his office at Hinckley Yachts’ Southwest Harbor Service Yard, General Manager Kirk Ritter is prepping for the town’s annual Harbor House Flamingo Festival, during which a Hinckley Yacht will be showcased on Main Street. As he reveals why he rejoined the Hinckley service team in 2021, he watches his daughter’s kindergarten friend, Leah, now 19, as she works alongside various tradesmen at Hinckley’s Maine headquarters.
Overseeing nearly 70 employees, Ritters’ easy-going demeanor and confidence are defined by a decades-long career in the marine industry. He first walked through the company’s Southwest Harbor doors in 1991, when he started at the Hinckley service yard working with paint, varnish, and fiberglass. After a number of years running his own finish business, 18 years at Morris Yachts, and five years as a project manager for Hinckley production, he returned to Hinckley Service in 2021 as General Manager of the SWH yard. Why? Simple, Ritter explains. “One of the big reasons I took this job is because of the people. Here in Southwest Harbor, we have a really good group of people that needed consistent leadership.”
“Hinckley was founded 95 years ago, right here on this site, where I’m currently sitting. . . We have a great history of local people working in the boatyard and being an important part of the community. Hinckley is not only an integral community member, too, but equally important, has created a great place to work…”
–Kirk Ritter, General Manager, Hinckley Yacht Services Southwest Harbor
His steadfast leadership style is inspired by Hinckley’s 95-year presence and continued legacy in Southwest Harbor. “Hinckley was founded 95 years ago, right here on this site, where I’m currently sitting,” he says. “We have a great history of local people working in the boatyard and being an important part of the community. Hinckley is not only an integral community member, too, but equally important, has created a great place to work. When I interview potential employees, I tell them we spend so much of our lives at work, you must be able to enjoy it. We treat each other with respect, at all times.”
As he strives to uplevel Hinckley’s reputation and its Certified Pre-Owned program even further, he’s finding serendipitous timing during a resurgence in the Southwest Harbor area. While respecting and maintaining the yard’s renowned mom-and-pop feel, Ritter and his team are poised to take Hinckley service to a new standard of excellence.
Certified Pre-Owned Program
A top draw of Hinckley’s evolving service? It’s Certified Pre-Owned program, says Ritter. “If you own a Hinckley jet boat and you are part of the program,” he says, “we take care of everything on the boat, soup to nuts. It’s maintained at Hinckley standards.” The CPO program epitomizes the unique aspects, capabilities, and experience of the SWH yard, as Hinckley owners receive an extended warranty on their boats for future buyers as a result of storing and servicing with Hinckley Yacht Services. Without being part of the service program, Hinckley owners can’t get this benefit, so naturally, it boosts resale values. It also perpetuates the idea of “coming home” to the SWH and its original, historic yard, where—whether a visitor or Hinckley owner—people can witness the yachting world’s timeless legacy in action.
Stellar Service
Given Ritters’ decades-long experience in the yachting service industry, the SWH yard is now operating at peak performance. “I would put my group of service managers up against any other group,” he says. “The five current service managers I have average over 25 years of experience in the marine industry and have immense knowledge of everything boats and the local cruising grounds. They are all very dedicated to their jobs and customers.” The result? More Hinckley owners are “coming home” to the original service yard, entrusting all tweaks and upgrades to a team built on a 95-year legacy. “We can handle just about anything in-house,” Ritter adds. What’s more, Ritter and Hinckley award community members with the Hinckley Leadership Award, designed to honor individuals making a local impact.
Coming Home: A Resurgence of SWH
As the gateway to Acadia National Park — with a whopping four million visitors per year — Bar Harbor is amidst a cultural boom. Where maritime history meets adrenaline-pumping pursuits, the area entices adventurists, history buffs, and culturists. While the Northeast Harbor has historically enticed tourists, Southwest Harbor is seeing an uptick in both visitors and residents. Post-pandemic, more people are choosing to live in the area, with such luxury entices like the Claremont Hotel making the most of beautiful Somes Sound. Plus, restaurants like Abel’s Lobster and Red Sky Restaurant are leading a growing culinary scene.
