There’s almost nothing more relaxing than enjoying a luxurious dip in a hot tub, except perhaps taking a slow cruise down a beautiful river. Now you can combine them both with a cruise in an ingeniously designed hybrid hot tub boat. The Hot Tug is powered by steam, generated from a woodburning stove to heat the water and a propeller engine to keep you sailing downstream. The boat contains up to 2,000 litres of water and comes with either an integrated electric motor or an outboard model. The wood stove in the bow of the boat heats the water in about 2.5 hours up to 38 degrees Celsius (100 degrees F.) just by making a little fire with normal logs. Available to rent or buy, the Hot Tug is made from wood and fitted with glass-fibre reinforced polyester, measuring 240cm by 380cm by 110 cm.
MOBILE BATH
When used as a regular boat, eight people can enjoy a sail. Add hot water to the mix and six people can still enjoy a mobile bath. At the end of the floating hot tub experience, an electric submersible pump will empty the water in about 20 minutes. The Hot Tug is a design by Supergoed, a company founded by Dutchman, Frank de Bruijn, who works on a barge in the port of Rotterdam. Frank has a soft spot for places where the natural and cultivated go hand in hand. His love of freedom, campfires, open water swimming and meals in the open air is expressed in many of his designs. “The feel of the outdoors is very important to me,” says De Bruijn. “Now the Hot Tug is expanding my work horizon to the water as well. “It’s much more than a boat, it’s a vessel with different options. When the tug is filled, there is only a narrow rim between you and the water, making you feel at one with your surroundings.” The Hot Tug was warmly received when it was launched at the Hiswa boat show in Amsterdam in September. The boat, without motors or a stove, retails at about £7,200. Throw in the stove and other equipment and the price is around £13,000.
Hot Tug
Tel. +31 (0)10 412 54 49
Email. jochem@hottug.com
www.hottug.nl
