Cascade- my first test drive.. wow

[Smurfwarrior]

Well, I went and did it..paddled a C1. I had a buddy donated a free Cascade (solid teal color, in awesome shape with skirt) to me today and I surfed and paddled it right after I got it. WOW... I can't believe how stable that sucker is. Quite fast too.. The butt boaters I was with were a little less intimidated with me also wearing a skirt compared to how they normally pout when I OC1 it. hows the Atom compaired to the Cascade? I kept thinking how cool it would be to be able to squirt the stern... anyways, off to tinker with the outfitting.

[Sir Adam]

The Atom is a much different boat - a bit zippier in and out of eddys, less of a "barge" feel. Depending on your weight it can be a nice boat. Between 150-170 (or perhaps 180) the stern is close enough to catch the water (and flip), but you don't have enough weight to squirt it (unless you crush the stern:) ). Unless you are heavier I'd look for a slalom boat for that - even better in and out of eddys, surf great, fast, and squirts are a lot easier.

Glad to hear you are having fun!

[TommyC1]

Take this as it is, coming from a 190 lb boater with modest skills at best.
I paddle a Cascade and an Atom as well as an Outrage and Encore OC1s.
The Atom is as fast as the Outrage where the Cascade is slower and does not attain as easily.
The Atom has edges (compared to the Cascade) for more precise control.
The Atom is as stable as the Cascade except that it also has that low volume stern. In holes it tends to go bow upwhere the Cascade stays flat. If you let the current catch you the stern gets pushed around and down. I can paddle the Cascade like I do an OC1 sometimes waiting to make a move. The Atom seems to require more agressive technique.
If my skills and maybe my reflexes were better I'd prefer the Atom. I like a fast responsive hull.
As it is I find the Cascade a good boat for more challenging runs where the Atom would get me in trouble.

[horizongfx]

Like all have Said, The Atom is a Tool (think Carving Here) and keeps you on your toes, does not like to sit still in boiling eddys and Dives in on steep drops.
The cascade is more of a floater, and you can get away with being sloppy.
Both are stable and Fun, the Atom is an ender machine. (see profile Pic)

[Todhunter]

Like all have Said, The Atom is a Tool (think Carving Here) and keeps you on your toes, does not like to sit still in boiling eddys and Dives in on steep drops.
The cascade is more of a floater, and you can get away with being sloppy.
Both are stable and Fun, the Atom is an ender machine. (see profile Pic)

Been meaning to ask, Bob, is that you doing the ender in the picture? Got a high-res of that?

[horizongfx]

Like all have Said, The Atom is a Tool (think Carving Here) and keeps you on your toes, does not like to sit still in boiling eddys and Dives in on steep drops.
The cascade is more of a floater, and you can get away with being sloppy.
Both are stable and Fun, the Atom is an ender machine. (see profile Pic)

Been meaning to ask, Bob, is that you doing the ender in the picture? Got a high-res of that?

Can't find the High res, but it's in this slide-show along with a couple other shots of me in various C-1's
http://vimeo.com/10529316

[Jeff Budz]

I seem to have caught a little case of C1 fever and have it in my mind that I need one. Anyone in the New England area have any C1s to "Donate"? I know of a few people who like to hoard boats that they never plan on paddling, yet refuse to sell or loan. I'd love to get my hands on an Atom, looks like it would be a good challenge for my skills. I just finished converting my Sea Kayak to a C1 for ocean tripping. It's infinitely better than sitting on my butt and straining my lower back.

[jrsh92]

I'd always wondered about converting a sea kayak... I'd like to get out C-1ing more often but with the most convenient body of water for me by far being a lake, paddling regularly feels like a horrible slog. Is the speed/efficiency pretty good compared to a similar kayak-- if you were out with other sea kayakers at a low-moderate pace, could you keep up? I think that 90% of why my whitewater C-1 is so slow is that it's 9 feet long... but the single blade seems to be a little less fast as well.

[markzak]

Where you at Jeff? I'm in eastern PA in the poconos and I have an Atom for general use...

...and I'm guilty of hoarding boats but everything I have is always for sale.

I would also be interested in trading my Atom, in good shape, with a sick new skirt, for a Cascade or a sweet C1 conversion creek boat.

[Jeff Budz]

I've only paddled it twice but it seemed pretty quick - I was using a short bent shaft paddle with hit-n-switch technique. Shouldn't be a problem keeping up with a group of kayakers unless they are doing racing/fitness training. When I used a straight paddle I could move it along with a j-stroke, but I loose about 1 knot that way. I still haven't come up with a good way to use my rudder other than tightening the pedals so it's "straight back". My boat is a Wilderness Systems Tsunami 145 and it is fairly wide and has a bigger than average cockpit. It's not quite a real sea kayak and I've heard that a narrow boat would make a unstable and uncomfortable conversion. Just something fun to try, not sure where I'm going to go with it.

[jrsh92]

Hm... I have access to a Tsunami 140... I might try doing some sort of reversible conversion on it (I can't permanently do anything to it or the outfitting that would prevent it from being converted back to a kayak). Flat-ish water doesn't require totally bombproof outfitting (if nothing else you wouldn't need to stay in and roll it because you probably wouldn't flip) so that might work. Thanks for the ideas!

[squeakyknee]

Cascade= lead dog rocket
Atom = soggy poptart

[Jeff Budz]

Markzak,

I'm in a very soggy Rhode Island and have no cool C1s to trade for your Atom. I do have some ca$h. Wouldn't mind driving to PA some time to see how things are down there.

- Jeff