Our free-thinking environment allowed us to break the mold and create a revolutionary design. By merging classic wooden boat design with radical concepts we created a true one-of-a-kind vessel.
How It All Started
It all started during the cold, wet Seattle winter of 2011. Founder & creator of the Hot Tub Boat, Adam Karpenske, was aboard his houseboat, desperate for the warmth and comfort that only a Hot Tub can provide. Without room to install a Hot Tub in his home, he thought of a solution...
Building a Hot Tub Boat
A wooden boat shipwright by trade, he put his mind to work on how he could craft a vessel that would stay hot, while still maintaining a sleek style. He drew the boat over the weekend and with the help of others, lofted the hull over the course of the following week. They then made the patterns and different sections of the boat before planking and fiberglass skinning the hull.
They launched into Lake Union the next week to double-check that their calculations were right regarding buoyancy. And wouldn’t you know it, they were correct!
They took the boat back to the shop and completed the deck and the Hot Tub layout and build. They had a working prototype for a party on New Year’s Eve.
They finished the paintwork and teak decks by February and launched the business on February 16th, 2012. That Thursday afternoon was the start of something beautiful.
What’s Happened Since
The past decade has been a wild ride. We moved to an incredible new location, built a few more boats, filmed a music video, raised thousands of dollars for local non-profits, offered a living wage and health insurance to our employees, and had countless people come through our facility to rent our boats. None of this would be possible without the support of our incredible community.
Our Future: Where We Want To Be
Aside from creating world peace, our goal is simple. We want to spread the joy of Hot Tub Boating to as many people as possible. While we personally believe that these goals go hand in hand, we also know that we can only control what is in our world. While Lake Union has been home for the past 10 years, we aim to have Hot Tub Boats “soaking in the sea-nery” in many cities across the globe.