Two Harbors Looking for New Harbormaster

Byline: Taylor Hill

TWO HARBORS — Santa Catalina Island’s West End boating community will be getting a new harbormaster, as San Diego native and newcomer to the position Phillip Winter will be moving into a new position with the Santa Catalina Island Co. (SCICO).

After only 18 months on the island and one boating season under his belt, Winter — who replaced longtime harbormaster Doug Oudin following his retirement in 2010 — will be the new vice president of visitor operations and marketing for Two Harbors.

“Phillip is taking on more responsibilities, and we’re going to be hiring a harbormaster to conduct day-to-day operations working on the water,” said SCICO chief operating officer John Dravinsky.

The new harbormaster will report to Winter, who will now turn more of his focus toward marketing Two Harbors as a destination for Southern California boaters.

Since his arrival, Winter has taken on many new responsibilities, including the introduction of the island’s West End Cruising Club — designed to give special privileges to boaters who frequent Two Harbors — and the creation of an online mooring reservation system that guarantees boaters a spot to moor their vessel before they head across the channel to the island.

Winter will also be in charge of visitor services, the dive shop and the historic Banning House Lodge bed and breakfast inn.

“He will still be in charge of water-related services — he just won’t be pulling boats as often,” Dravinsky explained.

“For me, it’s really tough, because my favorite thing to do is being on the water, greeting guests,” Winter said. “I still get to do that, but there’s just not enough hours in the day to fill all of the duties of the harbormaster and work on the marketing side. It was really out of necessity to make sure that the harbor stayed covered, and other areas were well-represented, as well.”

Two Harbors, about 18 miles west of the busy and tourist-friendly Avalon Harbor area, is known as a quiet, boater-centric enclave. While Isthmus Cove is the central location for Two Harbors visitors, the harbormaster is responsible for 700-plus moorings located in 11 coves along a 12-mile stretch of coastline on the leeward side of the island, and an additional two coves on the windward side.

Winter, who will be integral to the hiring process, said the new harbormaster should be hands-on and be a team leader.

“We have to maintain the cohesive unit that we have established,” Winter said.

The tasks of the harbormaster include overseeing basic operations of the harbor department and its 14 seasonal and 15 year-round employees, along with greeting guests, mooring assistance and maintenance, dock repair and maintenance, and repair and upkeep of the 22 vessels in the harbor fleet.

The harbormaster will also be required to live at Two Harbors year-round, an experience that Winter calls “unique living.

“We need to make sure it’s somebody who can fit into the local community,” Winter said. “It’s a key position here, and we want to make sure the candidate we pick is ready for it and is the right fit.”

While Winter’s interview process in 2010 took about three months to complete, along with multiple interviews, he hopes this time around, the company can accelerate the process.

Qualifications for the position include at least seven years of senior management experience, a USCG Master License, FCC marine radio and first aid/CPR certification. Those interested should email Carrie Weldon at cweldon@scido.com or call (310) 510-2000, ext. 1331.