Industry Events · Post-FLIBS · Fort Lauderdale
The boat show ends, the tents come down, and then the industry does something more useful than a party: it goes to see how the equipment gets built. On Wednesday, November 11, the Marine Industries Association of South Florida (MIASF) takes its next Member Connect to Watermakers, Inc. for a behind-the-scenes production tour with a game attached.
What: MIASF Member Connect at Watermakers, Inc., with a production-facility tour
When: Wednesday, November 11, 2026, 5:30–7:30 PM
Where: Watermakers, Inc., Fort Lauderdale (2233 S Andrews Ave per our directory listing; confirm when you RSVP)
Parking: Complimentary valet courtesy of Farber Parking
RSVP: Link in the bio of MIASF on Instagram
The Search for Fresh Water
This is the part that sets this Member Connect apart. MIASF members get a Production Passport and collect stamps as they work through the production facility, a challenge MIASF calls The Search for Fresh Water. Finish it and you’re entered for a chance to win a trip aboard Makers Air.
Who’s hosting: Watermakers, Inc.
Watermakers, Inc. was founded in 1984 and designs and builds custom reverse-osmosis desalination systems in Fort Lauderdale. It’s a family-owned company with more than 40 years behind it, and its on-site manufacturing is what MIASF members are getting a look at. Company site: watermakers.com · on Instagram: @watermakersinc. See the full Zip Yacht directory listing.
Why a factory tour beats a spec sheet
A reverse-osmosis watermaker pushes seawater through membranes at high pressure to make fresh water. It’s also one of the systems crew only think about when it stops. Seeing one built tells you things a brochure doesn’t: how the pumps, membranes, pre-filters and controls fit together, what is serviceable and where the weak points sit.
Questions worth asking on the floor
- What actually kills a membrane early, and what should crew do differently?
- What’s the right flushing and lay-up routine for a boat that sits for weeks?
- Which spares should be aboard versus which can wait for a courier?
- How does installation space and power draw change what you should specify for a given hull?
- What does a service call look like, and what can an engineer safely handle underway?
Who should go
Engineers and chief engineers, captains who manage their own maintenance, fleet and yacht managers, marine suppliers and anyone in the South Florida trades who wants to be in the room with the people who build the equipment. This is a MIASF Member Connect, so check with MIASF about guest access before you plan on bringing someone.
Book a 10-Minute Look
Event listing: MIASF Member Connect at Watermakers, Inc. · More post-show reading: every FLIBS 2026 party and all South Florida marine events.
Sources: MIASF announcement on Instagram (date, time, location, valet, Production Passport and Makers Air details, as posted Nov. 4, 2026). Company background from the Zip Yacht directory listing. Flyer courtesy of MIASF / Watermakers, Inc. Logos belong to their owners. Details can change; confirm with MIASF.