Hot tub boat and methods of assembling and using same

Abstract

A maneuverable, rigid-hulled, water vessel having a hot tub recessed into or otherwise installed into a rigid boat hull. The vessel, which takes the form of a “hot tub boat,” can float on a body of water, be maneuverable while being propelled on the water, may be towed on the water, and may be moored at a dock. Since the vessel is a hot tub within a rigid boat hull, the vessel may be propelled through water with an inboard or outboard motor. In one embodiment, the vessel may be piloted while the pilot relaxes in the hot tub or while lounging on a deck of the hot tub boat. The deck of the hot tub boat may have a reverse camber to help direct heated water back into the hot tub. A temperature of the water in the hot tub may be maintained by onboard water heating and circulation systems such that the hot tub boat may be taken out on the water for several hours or more.

1 . A boat comprising:
 a rigid hull;   a motorized propulsion system coupled to the rigid hull; and   a hot tub received by the rigid hull, wherein a ratio of a fill-level volume of the hot tub to a displacement volume of the rigid hull is about equal to or greater than ten percent.   
     
     
         2 . The boat of  claim 1 , further comprising a cambered deck arranged to form a walking or sitting surface around the hot tub. 
     
     
         3 . The boat of  claim 2 , wherein the cambered deck is a reverse cambered deck. 
     
     
         4 . The boat of  claim 3 , wherein the reverse cambered deck includes a camber angle that operates to encourages water splashed over a rim of the hot tub to be directed back into the hot tub. 
     
     
         5 . The boat of  claim 1 , further comprising a ballast tank located beneath the deck for collecting overflow water. 
     
     
         6 . The boat of  claim 1 , further comprising a water circulation system in fluid communication with the hot tub. 
     
     
         7 . The boat of  claim 6 , wherein the water circulation system is in fluid communication with a ballast tank. 
     
     
         8 . The boat of  claim 6 , further comprising a heating system configured to heat the water as the water flows through the water circulation system. 
     
     
         9 . The boat of  claim 8 , in which the heating system is selected from a group consisting of a hydrocarbon-fueled heating system, an electrical-powered heating system, a solar-powered heating system, and a wood-fueled heating system. 
     
     
         10 . The boat of  claim 1 , further comprising a fluid passageway that permits fluid communication between the fill-volume of the hot tub and a body of water exterior of the rigid hull. 
     
     
         11 . The boat of  claim 10 , further comprising a pump in fluid communication with the fluid passageway, wherein the pump is operable to bring the water exterior of the rigid hull into the fill-volume of the hot tub. 
     
     
         12 . The boat of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one towing device coupled to the rigid hull. 
     
     
         13 . The boat of  claim 1 , further comprising a layer of flotation foam coupled to an interior surface of the rigid hull. 
     
     
         14 . The boat of  claim 1 , further comprising a layer of insulating foam arranged around an exterior surface of the hot tub. 
     
     
         15 . The boat of  claim 1 , further comprising a steering system for maneuvering the boat. 
     
     
         16 . The boat of  claim 15 , wherein the steering system is a manually controlled steering system. 
     
     
         17 . The boat of  claim 15 , wherein the steering system is controlled remotely using a hand-operated controller that provides input to at least one of a switch, a servo, and a motor. 
     
     
         18 . The boat of  claim 1 , wherein the motorized propulsion system includes an outboard motor coupled to the rigid hull. 
     
     
         19 . The boat of  claim 1 , wherein the motorized propulsion system includes an inboard motor located within the rigid hull. 
     
     
         20 . A method for assembling a hot tub boat, the method comprising:
 obtaining rigid boat hull having a displacement volume;   obtaining a hot tub having a fill-level volume; and   installing the hot tub into the rigid boat hull wherein a ratio of the fill-level volume of the hot tub to a displacement volume of the rigid boat hull is about equal to or greater than ten percent.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , providing a deck surface between a periphery of the rigid boat hull and a periphery of the hot tub. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein providing the deck surface includes providing a reverse cambered deck surface. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising installing a propulsion system in the hot tub boat. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising installing a heating system into the hot tub boat, the heating system configured to maintain water in the hot tub at approximately a desired temperature when the hot tub boat is being used by occupants. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising installing a layer of insulating foam arranged around an exterior surface of the hot tub. 
     
     
         26 . A method for using a hot tub boat, the method comprising:
 filling a hot tub with water up to about a fill-level volume of the hot tub, the hot tub installed into a rigid boat hull wherein a ratio of the fill-level volume of the hot tub to a displacement volume of the rigid boat hull is about equal to or greater than ten percent;   heating the water to a desired water temperature;   propelling the hot tub boat over a body of water, and   maintaining the water temperature in the hot tub to about the desired temperature while the hot tub boat is propelled over the body of water.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , further comprising steering the hot tub boat over the body of water. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein maintaining the water temperature includes re-circulating the water in the hot tub while providing heat to the re-circulated water with a heating system. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein propelling the hot tub boat includes propelling the hot tub boat with an outboard motor coupled to the rigid boat hull. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein propelling the hot tub boat includes propelling the hot tub boat with an inboard motor that is located within the rigid boat hull.