Clipper Canoes - Cascade

The Cascade is ideal for a family with young children and performs well as a wilderness tripping canoe (the Cascade has been paddled down the Nahanni River). It is one of our most stable choices for paddling enthusiasts who require great initial stability. The Cascade is a first choice for paddlers requiring maximum stability in a canoe. It's great for families with dogs as well as kids. The Cascade has sometimes been described as the canoe for the non-canoer. Paddlers with limited experience will feel secure with minimum practice. While paddlers in other canoes are practicing their braces, you’ll be working on turns and fast paddling techniques.

Its flared sides make it seaworthy and its moderate rocker ensures a maneuverable craft. The Cascade has a shallow arch hull with soft chines that make it more controllable in severe weather conditions compared to canoes built strictly for speed.

The Cascade is at home on virtually any water condition encountered in recreational paddling, whether river, lake, or ocean paddling. This model also easily adapts to a side motor mount for an electric motor, so you can troll as well as fly-fish. The mount is also great for hunting trips.

The fiberglass layup is stiffened with foam ribs for a lightweight, yet strong, rigid hull. A vacuum bagged foam core layup is used in both the Kevlar® and Ultralight Kevlar® layups.

An optional sliding bow seat is available for paddlers of different weights or for when paddling with kids. The adjustable seat makes it easy to quickly adjust the canoe’s trim. The Cascade’s large volume comfortably provides storage for extended trips or for carrying a couple of smaller paddlers.

Dear Clipper Canoes,

I bought a Kevlar® Cascade from a dealer in California. I wasn’t that interested in it at first because your write-up in the catalog really doesn’t do it justice. I expected it to be somewhat of a slug and no fun to paddle as most manufacturers who describe their boats as a family model seem to have tracking problems and no secondary stability. I was cautious and asked for a test paddle after promising not to put any scratches on it.

After paddling it in wind and waves, with a 60 pound dog aboard, I was sold. It was fast, well mannered, and fun to paddle. It was also dry, even paddling into waves. I have since taken it down class 1+ rivers (with the dog) and had no problems getting into and out of eddies. I use it for all my flat water paddling. I plan to do some camping with it this coming summer.

I am really enjoying this versatile boat.

Anna V.
Rancho Cordova, CA

Cascade Review:
Once you start cranking, this boat moves. Despite greater stability and cargo capacity, it sacrifices little speed...When racing, it was considerably steady and we found it well suited for those who need a steady craft that responds like a hare rather than a tortoise.

The boat’s light weight helps explain its responsiveness. It’s made primarily of fiberglass roving and mat, but Kevlar is also used to reinforce areas of high wear and stress. The glass is wetted with an isothalic polyester resin, which is more flexible (and thus more impact resistant) than most polyester resins. Although the manufacturer quotes their boat as being heavier, our sample weighed in at 61 pounds, making it easy to transport. With the built-in carrying yoke, one person can comfortably car top and portage the canoe.

Canoe Magazine - August 1987