In this photo (shown to the left) is the sister tank of the one that we currently use at Ultra Pure Bottling in Tampa, Florida to bubble Watt-Ahh®. However, this one needs repair and sanitation before going into duty. Once installed, the combined two tanks will increase our production up to 75% or approximately 24,000 liter bottles per production run.
The empty tank has been stored in a soggy field. AquaNew’s CEO, Rob Gourley (also shown in the photo), has repurposed machinery all of his career as a mechanical engineer, saving machines and other equipment from going to the landfill and extending their useful life (and saving money). Loading this tank onto a boat trailer to bring back to his workshop in Sarasota, Florida for repair was his next challenge.
Rob called up his brother-in-law, Gary Seaboyer, who also is an engineer based in Sarasota. “I never know what Rob will ask me to do next but one thing for certain, it will be a challenge.” Gary continued, “We had no access to either a crane or a four-wheel drive forklift, which would have sunk into the muddy field where the tank was sitting upright. Instead, Rob and I rigged a system using straps and utilizing the boat trailer’s winch to tip the tank over onto the trailer. Between the tank and the trailer, we placed four wood pallets to leverage and level the tank gently onto the trailer.”
With their rigging system, they were able to safely guide the large tank onto its side and winch the tank perfectly into place onto the boat trailer. “The final adventure,” said Gary, “was to get the eight-foot diameter tank down to Sarasota, in which the tank acted as a giant sail limiting our traveling speed.”
Note from the Gourleys: Thank you, Gary and Lisa, for all of your support through the years and also answering Rob’s calls!
