Ah, to be gently motoring down the picturesque canals of Rotterdam ... in a hot tub. It’s not as crazy as it might sound – or perhaps it is. In any case, you can do it, thanks to the Dutch-built HotTug.
Yes, the HotTug is a indeed a little motor boat that doubles as a hot tub. It’s built mainly from wood, with the 2,000-liter (528-gallon) tub itself made from glass fiber-reinforced polyester. The water is heated by a built-in stainless steel wood stove, and has to be drained with a user-supplied submersible pump.
The boat/tub seats six to eight people, and is available in a number of packages that mix and match features such as a Minnkota 2.4-kilowatt electric motor, differing numbers of batteries, and the option of using an aftermarket outboard engine. For the electric option, the minimum package of two 12-volt batteries will reportedly provide about two hours of soaking/sailing time.
Prices range from €11,450 (US$14,793) for the basic unpowered version, to €16,450 ($21,252) for a model with the electric motor and four batteries.
Should you feel a little silly sitting in the bath as your cruise the canals, you can also use the HotTug without any water in it ... and if you’re feeling a little peckish afterwards, you might want to jump aboard the almost-as-wacky bbq-donut for some eats.
