PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — If by chance you don’t own a yacht or know a friend who does, one Portland-based business presents a yachting experience made for “soaking up the scenery” this summer — or any season.
Owned by Rose City native Alex Reed, Yacht Tubs is a boat rental company that allows groups to set sail in a floating hot tub on the Willamette River.
Places including Seattle, London and Tahoe, Calif., have similar companies, but according to Reed, the Rose City offering is unrivaled because of the upscale experience it provides for regular people.
The owner says the business idea was inspired by the celebrities who are seen vacationing on luxurious super yachts with pools attached, in places like the South of France and the Mediterranean.
“But most people can’t afford to go on a trip like that like the stars and the rich can, so I wanted to bring that experience on a small scale,” Reed said.
Six years ago, his team started to do exactly that by building and designing their own boats. Yacht Tubs rentals didn’t open up until September 2021, when Reed says he was “cautiously optimistic” about launching a business that was the first of its kind in Portland.
“Anytime you do something out of the box, different, you’re running a risk that people won’t like it or it’s not what you think it is,” he said. “We didn’t push too hard on the marketing upfront because we wanted to make sure that that the experience was really dialed in, and I’d say that we have that now.”
The Yacht Tubs experience is priced at $360 for a two-hour boat rental for up to six people. The person who books the boat must be at least 21 years old, as well as the person who operates the boat — but don’t worry. Reed says steering with the joystick is just like playing Pac-Man, and it only takes five minutes to learn.
Each boat features a bimini top for sunny or rainy days, a built-in Bluetooth speaker, dry storage, life jackets and illumination lights for nighttime rides. Passengers are also welcome to bring their own food and drink, but glass containers are prohibited and it is illegal to drink alcohol and drive a boat.
Yacht Tubs is known for offering floating hot tubs, but Reed says the temperature can be adjusted to beat the heat during warm weather weeks like this one.
The company is raising its rates to $399 per ride on the first day of June, so this month is the prime time to book a boat and drift down the Willamette River.