MILWAUKEE — A whole new way to experience the Milwaukee River is about to launch. Starting Oct. 31, you will be able to rent hot tub boats. They are exactly what they sound like. It's a hot tub that's also a boat.
The boats can fit up to five people and reach 104 degrees Fahrenheit. However, you have to be 21 or older to rent them.
“Over the years, I’ve never stopped thinking about it. I love boats. I love hot tubs," Ryan Strycker, the co-owner of Skyline Boat Company, said.
Strycker first saw hot tub boats when he was 19 in Seattle. About two decades later, he saw them again in Chicago. That's when he decided to start Skyline Boat Company with his fiancée, Laura Kirklewski.
“The back is nice and large. You can sit up on the sides. It’s not tippy as I originally thought it would be," Kirklewski, said.
The boats only go about five miles per hour. The optimal speed according to Strycker is anywhere from 2-3 miles per hour. These hot tub boats aren't meant for speed. They are designed for relaxing on the river.
Boat rentals are for 90-minute sessions. They cost $200 during the week and $250 on weekends.
“Anything to get on the water is great, and then you add hot water and soaking tubs, and it’s perfect," Strycker said.
There are private and locked changing rooms for customers. You can bring drinks, as long as they’re not glass, but not food. To keep the hot tubs clean, Skyline Boat Company replaces the water each day. The staff will test the water before a new group enters the hot tub if requested.
“We can go out rain or shine, unless it’s thundering, unless it’s below 20 degrees, and of course with the river, unless it’s frozen over," Kirklewski said.
If you’ve been in a hot tub on a cold or snowy day, you know how nice that can be.
Watch the video to see more of what the hot tub boats are like...
The inaugural season for these hot tub boats will go from Oct. 31 to Dec. 15. Skyline Boat Company hopes to re-open around March 1st, depending on when the river thaws. Then it will stay open until the river freezes again the following winter.
You can find more information about boat rentals and bookings by visiting the Skyline Boat Company website or its Facebook page.
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