Of Watermakers and Stuff
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This page was last updated on 9 September, 2004
Spectra Watermachines, San Rafael, CA: factory and international headquarters....
To learn about our latest investment, Stan attended watermaker school. Well, that was the original intent. Because of that week of training, our original plan developed into something somewhat larger than simply installing and maintaining our own system.
Mike, Fred, Jeff and Randy, students pondering their new MPC-3000 software.
Spectra provided five days of instruction on specs, troubleshooting, and business practices geared for distributors and field technicians. The students watched demos, rebuilt pumps and uploaded manuals, bulletins and diagnostic software into their own personal computers.
Spectra's Kent building intensifier pumps.
Students taking a look at the Spectra Intensifier
demo on the test bench.
Spectra's been in the watermaker business for a decade, producing reverse osmosis desalinization systems. Because of their low power usage and high reliability, they're the brand we chose for our boat. Little did we know it would lead to work.
Rose and rag toy.
Rose, CEO of Spectra Watermachines, rides to work in her own limo, driven by her chauffeur, Bill -- sometimes. Sometimes, Bill must travel; then, Ms. Bill drives the limo. Seems that Rose became so accustomed to her work routine that she pines away for the plant if she's left home. Therefore, for Rose's mental health, Ms. Bill loads Rose into her own car when Bill's out of town, drops her off at the plant on her way to work and picks her up, again, at closing time.
Stan's new shingle.
Coincidentally, Spectra's roving technician in the Sea of Cortez has cruised on to the South Pacific, leaving a technician and distributor void. Since we plan to cruise the Sea for the next couple of years, and because he's a mechanical genius and perfectly suited to that kind of work, Stan will be Spectra's new roving tech.
Stan came away from the class with a new shingle and a super-duper Newport model. It's the most efficient model they make, 12.5 gallons per hour on 15 amp hours of 12-volt electricity. We've been measuring spaces and components all weekend, mulling over installation possibilities....
