C-Forum

I know there are several varieties out there - 80cm original versions, 70cm width versions, then Sweet-Hahns and Morrison-Hahns. I have a Millbrook made Sweet-Hahn and it is a neat boat. Very stable, and more lively than you might think given the shape. I believe Charlie Walbridge still paddles one (new a few years ago from PS Composites, who has one or more of the molds).

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Then there is the HD-1 open canoe version... but let's leave that for a separate Boat of the Week thread.

And yes, I am alternating open and decked boats for now:)

Any opinions, thoughts, and reminiscing about the Hahn? Please post it up!

A couple of them... different lay ups each....

Great cruiser and forgiving (at least for me). Look like a Battleship compared to current boats. Very comfortable with lots of room for outfitting (or overnight gear) to meet one's needs.

A Sweet-Hahn was the first C-1 that I paddled; however, I didn't paddle it for long. As I primarily paddled slalom C-2 at the time (probably a Paramax II at that point), I actually missed the flat-bottom, hard chines, and edginess (all of which the Hahn didn't have) and moved quickly into an Ultramax. However, the Hahn was a reasonably forgiving C-1 to paddle.

Overheard on Tohickon Creek, squinting upstream: "That C1 looks like a Hahn, but it's just too small to be one. Wait...that's Charlie Walbridge. He just makes a Hahn look that small."

DC locals still see Ed Gertler paddling a PS Composites Hahn, and one other gentleman whose name escapes me has a stash of older Hahns and can be seen from Harper's Ferry to Little Falls. For newcomers like myself, these craft and their paddlers are a direct link back to the early days of the Canoe Cruisers Association and the exploration of the now-classic Allegheny runs.

My limited experiences in Hahns have been joyful, and is on my list to pick up for winter cruising, my favorite would be one of Charlies, the man has a plug for the mold, to cut some of the length out. Makes for better manuverability.

I have 2 and like them very much. The Older was built by John Berry, and is a very light Kevlar layup. It still has a kneeling thwart. The newer one is built by Kaz, in a heavier (not very heavy) layup with conventional pedestal. Which one do you want Tony? We can make this happen.

My first C-1 was a Hahn, built by Bill McKnight in DC. McKnight boats were highly prized at the time: mine was extremely light but very flexy, & could take a lot of punishment. (I believe McKnight "guaranteed it as long as you don't swim out".) I am not sure of the exact mold, but it had a very flat deck which made it hard to roll: in fact I don't think I ever succeeded with it. I know for a fact that my first successful C-1 roll was accomplished while messing around in a slalom boat borrowed from Ken Fisher . My eyes were opened then: came home & got a smaller boat -- and soon a Gemini to paddle with my kids.

Oops, memory fart: slalom C-1 borrowed from: Ken Stone!

Gotta crank up that morning caffeine a bit!

A Morrison Hahn was the first C1 I ever paddled - The big difference If I remember correctly was the flat deck - no grooves like the Sweet Hahn. Served its purpose.

I started in a locally built Hahn (Bill Crowley) with about 8 glass layers and one of polypropylene. I learned to roll it and eventually ran Chattooga 4, the Ocoee, Chauga Gorge, and the upper Conasauga in it.

Then I switched to a Sage, which was a mistake.

I think the spiritual descendant of the Hahn may have been the Magnet. I paddled one borrowed from Andy Bridge, but wasn't smart enough to buy it. The Magnet had the Hahn virtues, but more speed and sharper handling. I wish Kaz could get a Magnet mold somehow.

Not to digress, as I believe we should keep this threads as boat-specific as we can, but other folks may be interested to know a Magnet mold has been resurrected with permission of Andy Bridge and some (if not all) of the original designers. I'll post images of my new Magnet when it appears.