Ingenuity @ Kiwi Tubs .

Ever ready to support original ideas we thought it would be fun to chat to the inventor of Kiwi Tubs .

Name ? Steve August.

Occupation ? Physiotherapist but also keen amateur part-time inventor and tub-maker.

What is Kiwitub and where do we find you ? Kiwitub is the New Zealand alternative to the spa pool. It's a hot tub system which has no chemicals, electricity, or moving parts; uses just fresh water or seawater; can be rolled, lifted, or floated; heats up in an hour or more; runs on gas or firewood. There's a good website with great photo gallery at kiwitub.com .Nice plug there Steve!

Why did you start up Kiwitub ? I was too mean to buy a spa pool for the bach. Also get itchy skin from the chemicals, nasty, fizzy American things that they are, yess Precious.

What's the strangest place you have ever seen or put one of your tubs ? 6,000 feet (2,000m) up the Remarkables, on a frozen lake in winter. We drove it up on a snow groomer off the skifield below, put it beside the hole cut in the ice (and the ice was 1.2m thick) and the SCUBA divers got in to warm up. Skinny dipping from the lake to the tub, it felt like your whole body was attacked by needles.

How many tubs have you sold ? To date (October 2006) we've sold 66 complete tubs plus another 12 burners on their own, not bad for 18 months part-time with interruptions.

Who would you most like to see in one of your tubs and why ? Helena Bonham Carter, the thinking man's crumpet from 'Room with a View' and 'Fight Club.' If you have to ask why, you haven't seen the movies or are dead.

All the onlyinnz staff bathe daily (probably) so why should we order a tub from you ? Well we can fit up to 6 people in the Tub (you are using the others as furniture), so it becomes the difference between sculling a beer on your own and sipping champagne with friends while working out whose foot is that?

What's your favourite time to sit in the tub and what's the best drink to accompany it? That's really difficult! Options are (1) when it's snowing, with mulled wine; (2) when the stars are out, with really chilled Sauvignon Blanc; or (3) when it's blazingly hot and the tub's cool like a plunge pool, with cold beer (Emerson's or Tuatara Pilsener) and a book. Mmmm: say (1).

Ever shower ? Only before tubbing. Yep we believe you Steve !