Cape Horn 150

My wife has paddled this boat for 15 years, day paddles and multi day trips. It was not an expensive boat and has been fantastic. We sealed the little circular day hatch on the day we purchased it. Other hatches are dry.

The two most impressive features , in my estimation, is tracking ( without rudder) and speed. IIt has excellent initial stability, which makes for more confidence and enjoyment on rougher days.

In association with this and the prominent chine , it is more difficult to roll and less adept at rock hopping. However, for long days and rougher water, this has been a wonderful boat. The rudder still works. the foam rubber thigh supports have come off.

I have a 15 year old Cape Horn, Kevlar w/rudder, live on lake w/ 3000 water acres to paddle and have used extensively in Chesapeake Bay. Of the 4 kayaks I own, this is my favorite to paddle. Great tracking (rarely need the rudder), good speed and stability in the roughest waters. I have handled carefully over the years to protect the plastic coat butt this year, will have resurfaced with resin (lower section only) after cracks began to appear. I opted for this when I couldn't find a comparable new kayak to replace her. BTW, the light weight of a Kevlar coated boat is worth the price differential. I am a 57 year old woman, 5'9" and 145lbs and have easily carried this kayak the 1/8 mile to and from the lake for years. I use a wheelie for my other plastic kayaks.

Wilderness Systems fielded a solid boat with the Cape Horn 150, narrowly missing perfect marks due to some well documented leakage problems. I've had mine (purchased second-hand off CraigsList) going on seven years now, and she's still able to turn in an admirable performance alongside any other polyethylene offering you'll find.

This kayak tracks exceptionally well when the rudder's deployed (agree with others' comments regarding fairly severe weather-cocking when it's not), and is possessed of sufficient stability to keep a skilled pilot dry in 20+ knot winds. If you do manage to get dumped out of this yak (and if you're really hanging it out over the edge, you will), then you're going to be bailing both cargo holds along with the cockpit unless you've capped them off with some after-market hatch covers. The hatches simply don't cut it on their own, regardless of how tight you torque down the straps. There are plenty of vendors out there who sell these, so shop around. Recommend a spray skirt always for obvious reasons (as one gent put it earlier: once she's swamped, you're going in), and a neoprene spray skirt year-round instead of a summer-weight one, as these tend to grip the cockpit lip tighter and will give you a better chance at a bomb-proof roll should you be forced into that mode.

As with any polyethylene boat you have to be careful with how you launch and land, to avoid cutting and scarring her underside. The more gashes, the less hydrodynamic, so it doesn't hurt to sand/polish out these little souvenirs from time to time.

On rolling and bracing this boat...make sure you're adjusted correctly in the cockpit from the go, with sufficient contact between your thighs and the underside of the deck. That means you're going to have to give up a little leg room at the pegs, but you need to wear a kayak, not sit in one. Absent that snug fit, you're unable to control her into the roll or hard brace and you're going to be tossed out--guaranteed.

My biggest gripe besides the hatches has nothing to do with this particular kayak as much as all polyethylene boats, and that's their refusal to hold a suction cup mounted light. For that reason, as well as ones related to speed, my next boat will be kevlar.

Anyway, all in all, the Cape Horn 150's an excellent kayak, great for novices and veterans alike.

Just finished a 34 day, 740-mile (1200 km) trip around lake Huron (June July 2012) in my Cape Horn 15 bought many years ago. The boat has never let me down - beach camped, dragged over rocks, shelving limestone, boulders, caught out in thunderstorms (just not too bright) etc. - and I made my best run ever- over 80K in a day from 6:30 AM to my home beach, after 34 days, in 13 hours paddling that day, in big rolling swells, and 25K northwest winds.

After paddling this boat for 10 years, i can't imagine not having her- though its finally time for a new skirt and some new neoprene hatch covers.

I'm a 65 year old retired Emergency Responder, and the Cape Horn 15 is stable, with lots of room for extended trips, and though heavy, I can still put it up on the car- if you can pick up one of these -by all means do so esp. if this is your first touring kayak. get the rudder. Last year I did the whole of georgian bay with her, about 600K, and the year before that, circumnavigated Manitoulin Island, the worlds largest freshwater island- as well as the North Shore, and the year before that did a 700 K trip to near the end of Lake Erie from my home on Lake Huron. This kayak can do the long trips, - I've never used the little day hatch and just sealed it up. Had a minor problem with a leak from the cockpit into the back hatch- easily fixed. Never had to replace any lines or rigging, though i keep it in the garage when not in use, and not out in the sun.
Well done WS.

Man, I love the Cape Horn 150! I'm almost 6' about 200 lbs. Very comfortable and easy to get moving. I've had it for 2 years- bought second hand- and paddle 3-4 times a month. I've fished from it a few times, but mostly use it for photography of the shore and wildlife in the Idaho lakes. I've never had a leak of any kind and I use the rudder just about every trip. My wife is 5'6" 135 lbs, and she enjoys the CH as much as I do. It tracks great into the wind and is stable enough that we've never gone over. I'd recommend it to anyone who wants to cruise fast but not worry too much about tipping.

My wife and I both bought rotomolded Cape Horns last year: hers a second-hand 140 and mine a new 150. Both boats have rudders and the Wilderness 3-Way Seat. I am 5'10" and around 185 lbs. My wife is 5'2' and less than 120 lbs.

These are our first kayaks, but before buying them, we had taken a basic paddling course and tried a few designs as rentals. So far, we both like the design and performance of our Cape Horns. One shortcoming, as already mentioned, is the boats could use more deck bungees.

Another shortcoming, but this affects me more than wife, is that the boat tends to weathercock in a following sea and wind. Maybe I need to improve my paddling skills more?

The kayaks track well into the wind and in most conditions we've been in. My wife never uses her rudder, and I only use mine when I'm lazy and don't feel like dealing with wind and/or tides and currents. The boats are relatively fast, and I've had no problem keeping up with other boats on a short haul.

As for the hatches leaking, I've only experienced this when I neglected to batten them down properly. We've practiced wet exits, self- and assisted rescues, had waves break over the boats, and have found barely a drop of water in the storage compartments. Even when water has leaked in, it is usually less than a cupful and almost always in the stern storage compartment. I suspect, as other do, that it's probably linked to leakage through the rudder cables than through the hatch cover.

Our paddling has been primarily in some coves, salt marshes, and along parts of Narragansett Bay and the Sakonnet River, as well as the state's largest salt pond, so we haven't exposed ourselves yet to any really challenging conditions, save boat and ship wakes. The worst we've dealt with so far has been paddling into 1-2' chop against an outgoing tide and a 20-25 knot headwind, which we handled well.

The boats are stable--so stable that my wife actually had difficulty capsizing hers the first time she tried a wet exit in it! The only time I've capsized unexpectedly was when we paddled in chop close to shore without our sprayskirts. A large wave broke over the stern, flooded the cockpit, and flipped me faster than you can say "flip." Had I been wearing a sprayskirt, I wouldn't have gone over.

Since we bought the boats, we've taken another kayak course to improve our paddling and other skills. The more we use these boats and improve our skills the more confident we are with their seaworthiness.

I haven't learned to roll successfully yet, but I know a more experienced CH owner who says the CH rolls and recovers well. I can't wait to learn!

In short, I think the Cape Horn is a great sea kayak and buy for the money.

My first sea kayak was a wonderful Tempest 170 which I had to trade down last winter for financial reasons. After one full season of paddling, I find my used Cape Horn 15, of which I am at least the third owner, to be great in all conditions experienced so far (up to 30 knots of wind w/.75m seas), very stable, dry, good storage, and reasonably fast and comfortable. I've rolled it once during a practice session, and found it easier than expected. It tracks so well I took the rudder off. On the down side, I find the seat back a little too high, it doesn't have enough deck bungies, and the day hatch doesn't have its own bulkhead. While the Tempest would get a 9/10, I'd rate the CH15 at 8/10.

I am 5'10", 185. I paddled this boat for 3 days on a guided tour in a fjord in Alaska. As a boat for rental operations it might be just fine. But I found it to be a mediocre to poor ride. Tracking was bad. It wanted to turn left now matter what. I would get it moving straight and then edge it toward the left and it would turn left, not right. If I edged it toward the right it turned sharply left. There was nothing I could see in the hull to indicate a defect but that is possible. Needless to say I had to use the rudder a great deal of the time. The boat was very sensitive to even mild wind and difficult to control in those circumstances without the rudder. I didn't try to roll it or do extreme leans (water temp 34 degrees!). The cockpit was roomy, it you need that. It was too big for me so I would have to add a lot of foam if it were my personal boat. I had trouble keeping up with the guide in an Elaho and my wife in an Eskia. My wife is not a fast paddler and normally I have to wait for her. This means the Cape Horn is slow. Initial stability was high. I didn't really test secondary stability (see above). I don't really recommend this boat to anyone except a tour operation where most people are beginners and will be using the rudder to steer, and you need a cockpit that will accomodate lots of sizes, including larger folk, and initial stability is a concern.

Moved from a Hurricane AquaSport Santee XL (very nice kayak) to a Cape Horn 150 with a rudder. This is a GREAT yak. It tracks very well even without use of the rudder. Storage is more than adequate and the leakage problems (reported by others) with the storage covers have yet to be evident. The stability of the 150 is excellent -- in waves in the 2' range. At 5'10" and 155 lbs. My wife has a Santee XL that will likely be sold and replaced with a second Wilderness Systems Cape Horn 150.

I owned a 15' roto Cape Horn for 2 years and have just traded it for a Tempest 17'. I really liked the Horn, but wanted something with a larger cockpit - feet were a little cramped. I am not a very experienced paddler but I like to do my own thing. Have done two trips on Georgian Bay an disagree with the view that you cannot trip with this boat.

I am not sure if links to web sites are allowed in this forum, but I have posted my two trips (with pictures of 2 x 15' Cape Horns) and I think you will see that my wife and I took a lot of gear and could have easily have stayed out for a week, or longer. We did not carry any gear for each other - we each carried our own stuff. The thing with these kayaks is that you have to buy specialized gear, small stuff. If this site will publish the link, you can read about my experiences with the 15' Horn at http://www3.sympatico.ca/ublizi/

You'll need high speed cable or similar because the pics are all large, ie I did not thumnail them. Hope this helps anyone who is thinking of tripping.

I bought the cape horn last year after test driving down in annapolis and liked it right away. It tracked straight and with a little practice with some lean turns is turned pretty good. It is more stable then it looks, I've done turns with the water coming over the skirt with out feeling unstable at all. I bought an older cape horn without the phase 3 seat but worked a deal and had the seat thrown in with it. it was a simple install and love it. The boat is great on the reservoir. I took the boat down cape hatteras and out in the sound an it rode great. I did find that in any type of waves or heavy current you needed the rudder with out killing yourself paddling. It was extremly stable in the waves. One day they were big enough to have the nose going under water but the boat was perfectly stable. Now the problems the hatches leak and i mean on flat water mildly paddling my rear hatch would have an inch or so of water after a couple of hours of paddling. So what I did is use some silicon spray I used redwings boot waterprofing. and I also had some rubber door seal laying around so I put that around both hatch covers. I havn't had a drop go in the hatches since. The other problem I had with the hatches is that the neoprene covers are next to impossible to put back on once removed. I avoid removing the front cover because it takes so long to put it back. The last problem I have is leg room. I weigh 210 and about 6 foot on longer paddles my legs get a little numb. its hard to move around but not impossible. All and all I love the boat and the little problems I had were easily fixed I would highly recomend this boot if you are on larger water creeks and faster moving rivers I with I still had the dagger blackwater but speed and swells the cape horn is the way to go.

I have owned my plastic Cape Horn for over a year now and have paddled several other touring kayaks. I'm 5'9" and 170 lb. The only other boat that can compare to its tracking ability and stability is the Cape Horn 17. Like some other reviewers, I have found some water in the rear hatch after some hours in rough water.

My family have 3 Cape Horns (me, my mum, my dad) and my bro has an Alto. I think that this is a great kayak, the stability is the best you can get without being too wide to paddle in comfortably and there is loads of room (I am 6ft 5 and there is still more room). Although not the fastest of sea kayaks it is a worth while compromise for the better stability. Also it turns very well, i am able to turn it round with 2 and a bit sweep strokes and i have never been able to do that in any other sea kayak. I recently went to Holy Island in wales and it handled the overfalls there very well. There were 5 knot currants and very large eddys from round a headland that looked very daunting but seemed quite easy to pass thanks too the Cape Horns srability and maneuverability. I also passed through a 6ft passage that looked like a white water river with relative ease. There are a few problems but nothing that cant be sorted with a little bodging. The rear hatch leaked a bit but this is due to the neoprene hatch covers being stretched at the edges and so loosing thier water proofing, this can be fixed by applying a silicon water proofing agent. Also the foot rests are a bit small if you have big feet as they only support the ball of your foot and after alot of kayaking it can hurt. I fixed this by adding a heel support to the foot rest. Ooverall I love this boat, it can handle even the roughest of conditions well and has enough space for small expeditions. Its speed means that up to and over 40km are achieveable in a day. I recon it's one of the best plastic kayaks you can buy.

I tried out a lot of different kayaks at the local demo. The Cape Horn and the P&H Capella were both a real pleasure to paddle. I chose the Cape Horn because the cockpit opening was big enough to allow me to draw up my knees and stretch the old tendons out in the middle of the lake. I love the Cape Horn and if it were just a little faster I'd give it a 10.

I purchased a Cape Horn Pro (Kevlar) 3 months ago. The multi-chine hull performs well and provides good control of the kayak. The front of the cockpit is higher than it needs to be and catches more wind than I would like. The hatches leak a significant amount even in small waves. The dealer feels the factory installed rudder is the main source of leaks. Overall I would give the design an 8 out of 10. The reason for a lower overall rating of 7 has to do with quality. For a kayak that costs over $3,000 I do not expect to find rivets missing (one side of the seat back was never rivited in place) and I do not expect parts to fall off with normal, even gentle use. The vinyl trim around the hatch covers is affected by hot sun which causes the glue to almost liquify. Wilderness Systems has a good design but needs to work on quality control.

This spring I traded in my Keowee 2, for a WS Manteo. The Manteo had a few quirks that annoyed me over time. I then traded up to a Perception America. I was back at the dealer again after 2 days. Frustrated, the dealer told me to try the Cape Horn for a weekend. It was instant love! VERY stable, good comfort and speed. It tracks so well I rarely pull down the surf rudder. Another plus is it's great ability to slice through waves. Around Toronto, on Lake Ontario the water can get quite rough due to motorboat traffic and sea-walls that both accentuate the size of waves. You also get hit by waves in all directions. In the Cape Horn you never feel intimidated by waves! Although, I have yet to try it, because it has good knee braces I think doing an eskimo roll would not be a problem. I also have no problem putting the kayak on the roof rack by myself (even after a long paddle).

On the down side, I think the hatch covers are so-so. They really need a rubber gasket or something like it to prevent water getting to the neoprene covers. Also, the day hatch is quite hard to get at on the water. Last point, regarding the cup holder.....what were they thinking....most people don't kayak with a slurpee!!! put something that can handle a normal water bottle or coke can.

In the end, this is the best kayak I've ever owned (7 so far). I rate myself as an advanced paddler and find this kayak fun in all water conditions. Of course when I get my next tax refund, I might look for something in fiberglass or kevlar. I have a feeling my wife will not be so enthusiastic, so the Cape Horn and me will be good friends for some time to come.

This is the 4th kayak I have owned and certainly the most advanced of the 4. As far as performance this boat is a blast to paddle. I have the Cape Horn 15 so it's not a lightning bolt, but it is still much quicker than anything else I have owned. Part of this is due to the fact that the other boats were much more 'recreational' in form. In comparing it directly with my Old Town Nantucket.... there really IS no comparison. The Nantucket is like paddling a 5-gallon bucket compared to the Cape Horn. On the other hand, if you are looking to carry gear, you will have to leave a few of those 'luxury items' at home as the Cape Horn's design is more in tune with speed than capacity. With it's multi chined hull, this boat will actually respond to a lean and turn on a dime. I have yet to really need the rudder. I am quite please with almost everything about the boat. The only reason I rate it at an 8 rather than a 10 has more to do with construction than anything else. The polyethylene could be thicker. I find the Cape Horn, like so many other boats on the market, to be quite flimsy. I left the boat on my kayak cart in the hot sun one day for only about an hour before finding it had formed a huge dent where it had been in contact with the cart..... most discouraging. In the Nantucket's defense, Old Town has the stiffest and thickest hulls on the market. In short, the Cape Horn 15 is a fun boat to paddle & you'll look good paddling it. On the down side it does not hold a giant stash of gear (at least the 15 does not), and if you strap it to your roof rack to tightly on a hot day, you'll spend the first hour or two of your outing trying to get the dent out of the bottom of your boat!

Bought a Capehorn14 poly. rotomolded. Have had it in the bayou and lake. It tracks well and handles waves with aplomb. Much faster than I though it would be for a poly. boat. After rolling all hatches stayed dried. Love the durability of the poly. Great boat and would recommend it to anyone looking a well-made boat at a modest cost. Give it a 10. Thanks Wilderness Sys. For a small version of the Capehorn. A winner.

One of the best boats I have ever paddled. As a big guy, 6'6" and 200#'s, I can slide right in and be comfortable. The 14 really is for a small woman, and for some reason, the cockpit on the 17 is actually smaller than the 15. I have been amazed at how well this family of boats tracks and rolls, but still turns on a dime. I get to paddle everything on the market due to working in a paddle store, and really love this boat over anything else. I could not keep it in stock last summer. The best colors overall, are probably bluegrass, ice blue and ruby. Sunrise and Bermuda are to blends that aren't bad either.

I bought my Cape Horn last June - the first boat I've owned, though I've paddled lots of models. Mine is Rasta color, one of the "pretty awful" color schemes mentioned by Steven below. Anyway, I'll echo the generally positive impressions people have of the boat. It's stable, yet fairly maneuverable and fast. I enjoy every moment I spend in the boat. I have two caveats for potential Cape Horners, though: first, the hatches do leak. I like the flush design, but if you're using the boat for camping, put your stuff in dry bags. I'm not talking about lots of water, but after an hour of rolling practice there was some noticable water to empty out. Second, I'm a fairly thin guy (5' 10", 150 lbs). The cockpit of this boat is big and comfortable for long paddles, but I have trouble rolling/bracing the boat because I can't make good contact with the boat. I'm going to try adding some more padding/trigh braces, but right now if I roll over I fall out before I can roll back up.

By way of introduction, after being exposed to sea kayaking early this past summer, my wife and I took a kayaking course, attended several kayak demos and took a couple of local half-day tours. We spent quite a bit of time in Current Design and Necky rotomolded boats during the course and tours. We also tested Dagger and Wilderness Systems. When I finally had the opportunity to test the Cape Horn in Annapolis harbor it was almost a religious experience. The boat was, in my limited experience, incredibly stable, quite maneuverable, and confidence inspiring. It was the first boat I could easily put up on edge and feel completely comfortable. I had come to the end of my search for a first boat -- this was it, hands down!

We had agreed that for first boats we would be better off buying rotomolded kayaks, despite their higher weight, because of their durability and lower cost. We now own and love a Cape Horn and a Wilderness Systems Epic, and are completely satisfied and very impressed with their capabilities.

Thus far the Cape Horn has spent roughly four months in the tidal waters of the Potomac and Patuxent Rivers, and the deep, open waters of Moosehead Lake, Maine. In both environs, it has earned my complete respect. During two weeks on Moosehead Lake (179,000 surface acres of water), the Cape Horn carried my 200 lb frame plus a lot of camping gear all over the lake without a single problem or shortcoming. Although not as fast as the Epic, it moves right along without a great deal of effort and, handles rough water with aplomb. Our first encounter with rough water came on our six to seven mile return leg of a camping trip. Before we had reached the mouth of the cove we had camped in, waves were over a foot and the wind was building. By the time we reached open water we were facing three to four foot swells with breakers and a 15 to 20 knot wind. Despite our lack of experience in rough water, the boats handled extremely well and before long, although still cautious, we were much more confident. From abeam, or from the bow or stern, the Cape Horn took the swells and breakers amazingly well, and with my cooperation and quickly increasing skills, kept us upright all the way home. I actually reached the point that I would intentionally surf some of the bigger swells just for fun.

The only (minor) complaint I have concerning the boat is that both the front and aft deck profiles are sufficiently low that waves splash over them and the hatches will take in a little water. Overall, it's a rock solid and capable mid size boat.

A perfect first boat; stable and forgiving yet maneuverable and responsive. I tried a lot of boats before I bought. The final choice for me was between the Lookshsa IV, Magellan, and the Cape Horn. They are all good boats. The Magellan was a little less stable but the deciding factor was the weight. The Cape Horn provided the most performance per pound.

I have been paddling with a group all summer and the boat has enough speed to allow a novice to keep up. It tracks well enough that the rudder is not needed in most conditions and when deployed does not diminish speed. It performs well in moderate waves (one to two feet) but I have not encountered rougher. It remains to be seen how I feel about the boat as I gain more paddling experience.

Wilderness Systems has come up with an excellent design.

I bought a Cape Horn after trying a number of other boats. This one won me over from the moment I first sat in it. It's very stable, tracks and turns nicely, even without using the rudder. The cockpit is roomy and is comfortable enough for a larger paddler. There are front and rear bulkheads and hatches and a small storage area right behind the cockpit. This was my first boat and I wanted one that could be used on flatwater as well as on the ocean. The Cape Horn is well worth a look if these features appeal to you.