Friday, November 09, 2007

Hot Tub Bliss

When Wayne asked if I thought it was crazy to put in a bathtub at our cabin, I said of course not. In summer, a dip in our "swimming pool" in Powell Lake does the trick, but in the fall, winter and spring (most of the year for that matter) the lake is too cold. In fact, by November the water is bone chilling.

We started looking for a used bathtub. After a month it was evident that in our small community a used tub isn't something that comes on the market very often. Then we got creative. What if we could use an old canoe, cut it in half and make a tub out of that? It was an appealing idea. It would really go with the atmosphere of a rustic cabin. Yes, there were canoes for sale, but they weren't old beaters and the prices were out of the question.

One day we were walking through Powell River Building Supply (Rona) and there was an enameled steel tub on sale. Because we wouldn't be installing it in a normal manner, we needed a rigid tub that would support our weight. We picked it out, but left the installation to our friend John. Now, instead of a twin bed that we never used, we have a bathtub that we will. There aren't any faucets, but the drain is pretty simple. Pull the plug and scoot back. The water whooshes down the pipe and under the float.

To get hot water we fill four big pots and heat them on top of our wood-burning stove. We are always trying to find ways to use the excess energy that it generates. Four pots of hot and two of cold give a nice water level in the tub for a warm and relaxing soak. So thanks Wayne, for a great idea and a little bit of luxury in our simple home.

p.s. Our tub has a new home. In 2011 our good friend John built a bathroom addition for it and a composting toilet.  Come take a look. Here's a post and a video. But we still heat our water and fill the tub the old fashioned way.  It works for us. -- Margy

5 comments:

  1. Anonymous3:27 PM

    Dumb question? What are the rocks around the stove for??

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  2. If you look at some of my stovetop cooking posts you will see the rocks in action. I keep them stored under the stove. I love rocks, so they are both functional and decorative to me.

    If you watch dutch oven cooks outdoors, they use coals on top of their pots to help with top browning. I started using rocks for my indoor stovetop baking for the same purpose. I don't know if it works, but it one way to keep the lid warm without taking it off to reheat it on the top of the stove.

    If you decide to try rocks, make sure you have ones that are dry all the way through. If there is any trapped moisture inside they will explode and shoot out sharp pieces like shrapnel. VERY dangerous! -- Margy

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  3. Anonymous2:12 PM

    I live on Bainbridge Island, and am was constantly trying to find an efficient affordable hot tub for the two of us...most had WAY to much water to heat, and the wood stoves weren't cheap. :( This is PERFECT, no additional wood stove, and just 50 gallons or less to heat! THANK YOU!!!

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  4. Anonymous -- If you aren't as worried about the weight of the tub like we were, you might find a tub with enough room for two to sit in opposite directions. We've tried it, but the standard tub size makes it a bit tight for us. On the other hand, four pots of water heated on the wood stove plus about an equal amount of cold water gets the job done if you don't soak too long or unless you are #2 for the washup. - Margy

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  5. That's really a good idea. Soaking in a hot tub especially during cold weather is really fun. I and my friends will really find some time to spend together and just soak in a large hot tub. I also looked for a perfect hot tub for me last year and I found it in this website hot tubs

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We welcome your comments and questions. - Wayne and Margy