Badweather converts canal boat into off-grid floating bathhouse

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56ft-widebeam vessel has been fitted with a sauna, cold plunge pools and off-grid water, power and heating systems, with its existing steel hull retained and restored

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Architecture studio Badweather has converted a 56ft-long, 10ft-wide canal boat into an off-grid floating bathhouse designed to move between locations on London’s waterways.

Soak accommodates up to 12 people and contains a sauna, two cold plunge pools, showers, changing facilities and a small bar. The project combines the constraints of the existing steel vessel with new systems for water filtration, electricity and heating, allowing it to operate without mains connections.

The canal boat was acquired in May 2025 in near-derelict condition, with rotten floors, extensive water damage and a steel hull requiring restoration. The project began with a full strip-out, followed by restoration and recoating of the hull. A team of around 40 collaborators, including plumbers, electricians, fabricators, carpenters and battery specialists, worked on the conversion.

The existing 5mm steel hull contains internal structural struts that dictated the position of walls, windows and openings. As a result, the interior was organised as a linear sequence, moving from an entrance area lined in dark-stained marine plywood to a wet room containing the cold plunges and showers, followed by the sauna.

The wet room is finished without timber to simplify maintenance in the hot and humid environment. The two custom plunge pools were designed by badweather with integrated filtration, inlets and outlets configured around water movement, convection and surface skimming.

In the sauna, custom aluminium-framed benches are suspended within the tapered hull. The benches are angled to maintain a 50cm seating depth and use aluminium beams rather than legs, allowing the two benches to overlap. The sauna is lined in thermally treated aspen and alder.

The existing 5mm steel hull contains internal structural struts that dictated the position of walls, windows and openings.

The conversion also involved modifying the vessel’s original portholes. Eleven-inch openings were enlarged to 18- and 32-inch apertures, creating larger views onto the canal. At the bow, a former steel door was replaced with a picture window, requiring a new welded steel frame to reinforce the hull.

The interior uses a combination of standardised and industrial components, including threaded rod, T-brackets and chrome-plated copper plumbing. These elements are left exposed as part of the interior detailing rather than concealed behind conventional finishes.

Soak’s off-grid systems include a six-stage water filtration and UV treatment process. Canal water is drawn into the vessel and stored in a fabricated bow tank, while a reverse osmosis system produces drinking water. The drinking water is subsequently re-mineralised with calcium, magnesium and potassium.

Electricity is generated by solar panels and stored in a custom battery stack within the vessel. Heating is provided by a wood-fired stove, with the system supported by Marine Heating Solutions. Water filtration was supplied by Water Freedom, while PRO Electrical provided the off-grid electrical installation.

The sauna was delivered by Aspen Saunas, with bespoke porthole windows supplied by Caldwells Windows and window reveals by MD Woodtech. The main conversion contractor was The Boat Fit Co.

SOAK is now operating as a mobile bathhouse, moving to a new mooring approximately every two weeks. It is available for private group bookings and individual passes.