Anyone had any experience with the Hornet (Millbrook Boats) C1?
I have been paddling a Cascade. I like the boat, it suits my type of paddling. But it's too darn heavy. Anyone have any other suggestions for a composite boat? I stick to Class 3 and Class 4 runs and do limited surfing and playing. I run the occasional small creek and like the rounded bow and stern of the Cascade/Hornet.
Thanks for any help.
The Hornet is bascally a narrowed Cascade. Although I've never boated one, I hear they are GREAT (one of these day's I'll get my hands on one...). You may also want to look at the Magnet, if you can find one. (Pictures and info on both these boats under "C1 Rec Boats" link to the left of this screen ).
Depending on the type of creeking you do, you may want to hold on to the cascade for creeking (they are almost indestructible!) and get a more sport boat for playing / river running (Viper, old slalom boat, etc...).
I had one and while it did not suit my paddling style, it was a great boat. I'm assuming it was Bob Putnam who posted above, it is a touch narrower and not quite as deep but can be had with a similar sized cockpit. It is much faster than a Cascade, mostly because it weighs something like 20 pounds less. The one I had was plenty solid, though I just can't imagine a glass boat holding up to bashing like a plastic boat - however with such a light and responsive boat, you won't have near as much trouble dodging rocks. Millbrook will make you a new one for about what the current crop of plastic kayaks go for...
The Magnet appears similar, possibly with more of a pronounced chine?
I briefly owned both the Hornet and Cascade and my guess is that if you like the Cascade then you'll like the Hornet. It's sort of a super Cascade--lighter, faster, and with even more rocker it seems to me. Less of a chine, a bit more skittish. It's very round on the sides and the bottom. The point of secondary stability in the Hornet is lower than that of the Cascade as I recall. I would lean over in the Hornet and get to a point where surely gravity was going to pull me over, and then I'd stop and stabilize. Fun and scary every time because it was so low.
I recently bought a Magnet--haven't tried it yet, but to me it looks much more like a smaller Blackwater--way less rocker, more defined chine, compared to the Hornet.
Love the INCREDIBLE speed and glide on the Hornet. And the light weight left me much less tired at the end of long runs from not having to push a heavy boat around. Solid as it is I wouldn't take it banging down any creeks unless you want to learn how to repair it! I didn't even want to take it down Cucumber on the Lower Yough at low water. Was afraid I'd crack it.
All in all a great boat if you like a lot of rocker.
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