Convenient things to have in Seattle when the weather is s*** include:
- Wood-burning fires
- Saunas
- Enclosed pontoon boats
Or — why not? — your very own three-birds-with-one-stone wood-burning pontoon boat sauna thing.
The wa_sauna is a registered vessel in the state of Washington that was designed by Jon Gentry and Aimée O’Carroll of architecture and design firm goCstudio and subsequently funded by a $43,000 Kickstarter campaign.
Propelled by a 36-volt electric trolling motor and heated by a wood-burning stove, the 240-square-foot wa_sauna is made from treated plywood, has a deck for sunbathing, a roof for diving and a “cool-down hatch” that allows steamy guests direct lake access after taking a shvitz.
The buoyant bathhouse took its maiden voyage in October, and the designers plan to keep it out on the lake year-round if possible. They typically take the 14-foot-tall, 4,500-pound vessel out for three-hour jaunts around 580-acre Lake Union, which is already known for its floating homes thanks to Sleepless in Seattle.
They plan on announcing their summer programming in the coming weeks, and interested parties can also request use of the wa_sauna for private events.
Smoke on the water, fire in the stove.
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