Hellcat Review, Clementon Park S&S Wood Coaster | Amazing Layout But...
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- Опубликовано: 20 авг 2024
- Hellcat at Clementon Park is one of the few S&S wood coasters. Designed by Alan Schilke, this coaster has a really nice layout, but the ride experience is hellish between the trim brake and roughness. Find out what you can expect if you ride it in the near future!
Video Credits
Avalanche POV (Sean Flaharty)- • POV Of Avalanche - Tim...
Hellcat POV (New Jersey Coasters)- • Hellcat at Clementon P...
J2 Trimless (Coaster Jeff)- • Hell Cat (J2) at Cleme...
Timberhawk Off-Ride (Airtime Thrills)- • Timberhawk: Ride of Pr...
Background Music
Trailer Cinematic Epic Music by Infraction [No Copyright Music] / The Serious Things- • Trailer Cinematic Epic...
I suspect that most of the roughness issues with hellcat and hades 360 come from the steel support structure not flexing as much as a traditional wooden one
It also could be the park not performing sufficient upkeep.
i would say that but white lightning at fun spot orlando has been very smooth
But I mean, the voyage?
I’m not saying all steel support structures will be rough, it’s just that a miscalculation could more easily lead to roughness
@@Liight yeah after a retrack and mine blower is also rough even though it’s been open for like 5 years. It seems to be a issue with a lot of gravity groups but who knows
It is fascinating to me that, at one point, three John Miller-designed coasters named Jack Rabbit were lined up in such close proximity to one another. Sad that Clementon retired their Jack Rabbit, but hopefully Hellcat can get track-work on those problematic sections.
True!
My favorite review so far! I grew up a 5 min drive from clementon, my true home park. I went back this summer for the first time since I was in middle school, when Hellcat was J2. Absolutely surreal to be back. This ride is a riot though. I rode row 4 and thought I legitimately unaligned my spine on that first valley. Front row was really fun.
Thank you for confirming why I skipped a wheel seat on this visit.
@ndelli23 Coaster 🎢 was first called "Tsunami", then it was re-named "J2", then it was re-named llnd time to "Hellcat"
Canobie Coaster would say:
When the new owners took over in 2008, a trim brake was added atop the first drop.
This significantly neutered the ride experience, not only was the first drop nerfed but the train would navigate the layout with far less speed. This sapped much of its airtime, but it was an attempt to make the ride more comfortable and save on maintenance costs, and also an attempt to make the ride...
A) similarly reliable
B) more reliable
C) less reliable
To my knowledge, the ride was reliable before the trim was added. It was just rough.
I was lucky enough to ride this twice in 06 on the way home from KD and Williamsburg (convinced my parents it was "right off the highway" and not 45 minutes out of the way lol) and had a very different experience from what you describe.
The first airtime hill had 4 really hard kinks in the track, each with some ridiculous ejector airtime (like SFNE cyclone or Coney Cyclone before the refurb). Its a shame to hear its just mild floater these days because it was a genuine "i think I'm going to die" element back then.
The horseshoe turn had really awkward banking and the trains banged and scraped their way through it, not sure if that was ever fixed.
The helix had the strongest positive Gs I've ever experienced on a wood coaster. It was rough, but the sustained positives felt like a good steel coaster helix and was close to gray out level.
The last two bunny hills had good floater, but nothing really remarkable. The turn in between however had some of the strongest laterals I've ever felt, up there with Legend and TGE Comets last turn. This was another one that the train banged and scraped its way though. I think they were outside of the articulation limits of the PTCs several times on this ride. The rise up to the brakes also had a hard jerk which had strong ejector even in the back seat. Wish I had gotten to try it in the front.
The ride overall was like a mini Voyage as far as intensity and how it maintained speed. But where Voyages trackwork has been tweaked to perfection over the years, this rides track was nonsense and did a lot things the train and rider wasn't happy with, but in a good way. I will never revisit this place so long as those four brake calipers line the first drop, I really don't want to ruin my memories of those two rides I had on it.
I wish I could have ridden the ride you described.
Tsunami opened at Clementon Park in 2004. In its opening year, Tsunami received rave reviews. Enthusiasts and riders praised its fast and intense ride experience lauded for its mix of airtime and laterals, especially for a coaster with a nice layout with how wild the ride was. After the devastating Indian Ocean Tsunami in december of 2004, Clementon decided to change the coaster's name to J2 in honor the former Jack Rabbit. After Adrenaline Family Entertainment acquired the park during the 2007-2008 off-season, they renamed the coaster Hellcat. However, the coaster got rough over time. The park retracked portions of the ride after just its second season. Then the ride was closed for a large chunk of the 2007 summer season for similar reasons. The aggresive ride was already tearing itself apart.
Yeah it's an aggressive layout.
Tsunami opened at Clementon Park in 2004. In its opening year, Tsunami received rave reviews. Enthusiasts and riders praised its fast and intense ride experience lauded for its mix of airtime and laterals, especially for a coaster with a nice layout with how wild the ride was. However, the coaster was getting...
A) smooth over the years.
B) rough over the years.
B
Wow! I have a lot of respect for your analysis of coasters, so it may have been a blessing that Hellcat was closed for me. It sounds like I did ride the best coaster in the park after all, as Dragon Coaster was enjoyable. I had a feeling that Hellcat might be too rough for me. I was planning to not ride the back at all. I would get my credit in the front row and move on. I probably won't go back to the park unless they get Hellcat running well. I was surprised to see that parking was free. I'm not sure if that's normal or if it was because of the time or day I visited (Tuesday 3pm).
Niagara Amusement Park also has parking booths that aren't used. All the IB Parks currently have free parking.
When the new owners took over in 2008, they added a trim brake atop the first drop, which has been present ever since. This significantly neutered the ride experience. Not only was the first drop nerfed, but the train would navigate the layout with far less speed. This sapped the ride's pacing, power and airtime, but it was an attempt to make the ride...
A) more comfortable
B) less comfortable
and save on maintenance costs.
A
Canobie Coaster would say:
Each car seats 4 riders, so the train can accommodate a maximum of 16 riders. However, the park is only allowing guests in the first two cars at this time. The back two cars are blocked off by cones. When guests asked why?
A) Not sure why, but it could likely be a permit for faster loading times
B) The back was too rough to be ridden
C) The back had tighter lap bars which could impact the airtime
B
When the new owners took over in 2008, they added a trim brake atop the first drop, which has been present ever since. This significantly neutered the ride experience. Not only was the first drop nerfed, but the train would navigate the layout with...
A) a tad more speed.
B) far more speed.
C) a tad less speed.
D) far less speed.
D
This looks like a beautiful ride, just super interesting with the short trains and rarity with these specific woodies. Great video, thank you again!
You're welcome.
Omg! At 4:06 in this video, the coaster train, as it starts coming up the hill, hits a major pothole/dangerous angel transition. I'm surprised nobody at the park saw this?
As a former union carpenter, fixing that would not be a big deal. Couple hundred in lumber, and re use the track steel and possibly the attaching hardware for the steel.
That hill had a kink even on its opening year.
I hope, and expect, that Gene Staples will not tolerate this formerly-great wood coaster to remain in such terrible condition. I anticipate a complete rebuilding of Hellcat, perhaps a Titan or RMC conversion. Staples has rebuilt Silver Comet in NY (in fact it might still be being worked on) as well as purchased, restored and rebuilt one of the greatest steel coasters ever created, Drier Looping. He also bought & moved a Schwartzkopf shuttle loop to Niagra Falls Amusement Park, which should open in 2024. I have confidence that Staples will make Clementon Lake and Hellcat into a charming, fun and popular amusement park once again!
They retracked Hoosier Hurricane the year they bought Indiana Beach, so there is hope.
When l made my most-recent visit to Clementon Park, Clementon, N.J. in July, 2008, l rode on "Hellcat". That tall coaster 🎢 was similar to "Great White" c'str at Morey's Pier, down-state Wildwoods in N.J. In Summer, 1998 l rode on "Great White" there
I prefer Great White since it's better maintained.
very nice review!
Thanks!
I love that you have a view of the lake
Me too.
This is like S&S hades, great layout, runs rough, “running aggressive today” sign, elevated station.
Hellcat with no trim and a full retrack would move way up for me.
I'm probably crazy, but I really enjoyed the ride. It was so incredibly rough, but that's what made it fun for me lol. The layout was actually pretty good too
I didn't like the shakiness.
This honestly looks so much better than Boss. That roughness can make it feel more intense inless it's actually bad enough where it's not enjoyable. But thst layout is indeed quite fantastic.
Boss is better in its current state.
They need to replace the steel support structure with wood, re-weld some of the bad transitions, and get new trains that result in less bumpiness
A full retrack would save this ride. I love the layout.
I’ve never wanted to ride a roller coaster less after this haha!
You're welcome.
Hell Cat opened in 2004 at Clementon Park as Tsunami. Tsunami used to reach a top speed of...
See RCDB.
If I ran the park, I would give this entire ride new Titan Track as well as Millennium Flyers from GCI.
I want new track from anyone.
Canobie Coaster would say: So what would I rate Hell Cat? I would give this wood coaster a 2 out of 10. It pains me to rate this ride so low. I can see the layout, as designed, is amazing. It's a unique layout that should mix airtime and laterals based on...
how it ran its opening year.
To be fair, "hell" is in the name!
True!
I tell you the history: Tsunami opened at Clementon Park in 2004. In its opening year, Tsunami received...
A) rave reviews
B) negative reviews
A
The website advertises that:
Hellcat is back and better than ever!
False advertising?
It's back at least...
Hell Cat at Clementon Park. The current version, so I ask you: What would you rate Hell Cat?
Canobie Coaster would answer: So what would I rate Hell Cat? I would give this wood coaster...
A) a 1 out of 10.
B) a 2 out of 10.
C) a 3 out of 10.
D) a 4 out of 10.
E) a 5 out of 10.
F) a 6 out of 10.
G) a 7 out of 10.
H) an 8 out of 10.
I) a 9 out of 10.
J) a 10 out of 10.
See the review.
What do you think about this coaster in layout, and do you like the current ride experience or this coaster is based in its opening year?
It probably was way better in the opening year.
I finally got to ride this when it reopened this year. I am in the minority, as I really enjoyed it. I didn't find it unbearably rough and would love a ride in the back.
I won't ride in the back until it gets a full retrack.
I checked this ride out this year, and I got two rides in. My front row ride was only subpar, but my ride in the row furthest back may have been the worst ride I’ve ever had on a coaster. It’s one of the only times I can recall I’ve actively wanted a ride to end
Thanks for confirming why I skipped a wheel seat this visit.
Hell Cat at Clementon Park, was not in the Canobie Coaster's video of top 25 worst roller coasters in the world. What do you think for you?
A) It would have been placed in the top countdown video, but it missed for unknown reasons
B) The front row ride was tolerable, the back row ride would have been placed in the top countdown video, but the coasters placed there caused unbearable pain or discomfort in any seat and row (even with any method, if you avoid wheel seats, etc.)
C) It was bad, but not painful enough to be placed in the top countdown video
B
If this didn't get a Gravity Group precut retrack, I will go riot after seeing this tragedy of a shaky POV.
It was unbearably rough in the back.
Man said morb and suspect in the same video, respect
I had to.
Morb Sus
What would you rate Hellcat?
Canobie Coaster would answer: I would give this wood coaster...
A) a 1 out of 10.
B) a 2 out of 10.
C) a 3 out of 10.
D) a 4 out of 10.
See the review.
Possible video on hellcat in Wisconsin dells? I remember riding it as a kid and its still probably the roughest ride ive ever been on
I never rode that one unfortunately. Ive been on the other 3 S&S woodies.
Imagine how good this would be with a complete titan track or wood track GCI refurb. Oh and trims gone. I mean it would literally be incredible.
It would be amazing.
The year, I rode this coaster 10 times the same day as riding el toro 10 times, and needless to say, my neck was feeling it the next day lol
Oh wow!
What do you usually prefer in the world, roller coasters with trim brake on the drop or roller coasters without the trim brake on the drop?
A) Like both similarily
B) Prefer with trim brake on the drop
C) Prefer without trim brake on the drop
C usually
Canobie Coaster would answer: I would give this wood coaster a 2 out of 10. It pains me to rate this ride so low. I can see the layout, as designed...
A) is awful.
B) is average.
C) is amazing.
It's a unique layout that should mix airtime and laterals based on the opening year reports. But you can't get that ride right now, not in a least bit. The trim brake...
C
I feel like this coaster will be far better in the near future.
I hope!
Man I missed Silver Comet in June and now Hellcat is open... Guess I'm renewing my IB season pass to potentially ride these woodies
I hope this one gets more trackwork first.
I hope i can get this rare credit next year looks really fun
Hopefully!
I think there are smooth and rough wooden roller coasters, did you like Shivering Timbers at Michigan's Adventure more than Hellcat at Clementon Park?
I love Shivering Timbers far more than Hellcat.
I want that back row ride.
I do if it's retracked.
no you do not
@@onetruemode I recently got 12 rides on Mine Blower at Funspot. Have you rode and if so, how would you compare?
Oh man, while I do think this is a nice aesthetically pleasing coaster, I could tell I would rather snag a ride on Go-Gator - the kids coaster at the carnival that looks like an Aligator.
Construction along, you can tell things were really off on this ride. I can see one of my college roommates "Double D - a construction major at EMU" just yell at this video hahhaha,
This coaster, this is a bad one.
Even in the old footage, you can see a hitch atop the 2nd hill.
And how many coasters in Europe, and in the Six Flags chain, and in the Cedar Fair chain, of the ones you've ridden with changes or modifications done after they originally opened do you wish you could have liked in its original form or its opening year?
I don't have an exact count for that, sorry. Examples include Mighty Canadian Minebuster and Great American Scream Machine.
If I ask you that? Canobie Coaster would say:
So what would I rate Hell Cat? I would give this wood coaster a 2 out of 10. It pains me to rate this ride so low. I can see the layout, as designed...
Would be great.
This park jeeds to bring gravity group or gci in to do a massive overhaulmof the ride
I wish.
if this coaster were to be rmc'd it'd actually just be a steel coaster rather than a hybrid
True.
Imagine Hell Cat at Clementon Park removing the trim brake on the first drop, what would you think?
It would have stronger forces.
Which other coasters in the world could you have liked more in its original opening year?
Examples:
Thunder Run and Hurler are two examples.
Could be a great ride with some Titian track. And the trims removed.
I agree.
To ride, what do you think about, Hell Cat at Clementon Park and Wilde Beast at Canada's Wonderland, in roughness and pain?
Hell Cat is brutal in the wheel seats and back cars. Wilde Beast is fine if you avoid wheel seats.
Any idea how much a re-track of the ride would cost?
I do not.
Hey this is two minutes from me!
Nice!
Was Hellcat at Clementon Park always named Hell Cat? Or did the coaster have names before Hell Cat?
It originally was Tsunami and J2.
When I rode it the other day I did it in front row first it was obviously rough pretty crazy rough but I found Wildcat much worse but the middle was Wildcat times 10 that first jolt into that first hill felt like a car crash and that helix was so intense it felt like my head was spinning I surprisingly didn’t get a headache
Wildcat is brutal in any row. At least the very front is tolerable on this one.
was the back row the roughest or most painful for you in the world? or another coaster is rougher or more painful?
Coaster Express is worse.
The one in the dells had just ok airtime but the laterals were amazing and it was only a little rough
I rode it in 2012 and it was AWFUL, God it made Zeus look smooth, and that thing jackhammerd after the first air-time hill IN THE FRONT ROW. At least Cyclops stole the show with a last row ride that I can only describe as "holy fucking shit" intense (a ride packed with PSYCHOTIC ejector from start to finish). I never rode Hades as Zeus turned me off of that both trips, now that Cyclops is an empty husk of the ride that blew me away a decade ago I have no reason to ever go back to that shithole.
Despite that I still rank the Timber Falls Hellcat above Zeus, I could see the good ride in there, but it was unbearably rough.
@@AceAviations2 Im surprised because everyone I talk to about Zeus thinks it’s a different level of roughness, I found it to be pretty shaky but I enjoyed the airtime and Cyclops literally made me bleed from multiple spots
I heard that ride was really good when it first opened.
Do like the layout. More rough than Minebuster and Wildebeast? I'd ride it anyway.
Yes it is.
Why do you prefer drops without trim brakes to drops with trim brakes?
Wilder
There is also a warning on range!
Oh right!
Hellish, what does that mean?
Bad
Do you like the trim brake on the first drop on Hell Cat?
Not really.
It looks like it needs a FULLLLLLLL retrack by Gravity Group or GCI or SOMEbody cuz god dayum does that look an unholy experience lol. Also would help to get rid of those trims once that retrack would be done, make it more exciting.
A full retrack would be a major help.
What do you prefer on roller coasters, jackhammer or negative Gs?
Negative Gs.
Maybe they could put titan track on this?
I hope!
Wait, this is half an hour from my house. I need to experience this pain train for myself.
At least you don't have far to go if it were closed.
Dude the pullout looks extremely rough, you can see the train shaking in a weird ass way
Yes
It really is holy shit I rode near the back my second time riding it the day I went which was this year and it felt like I was in a car crash
@@ThrillsofColdplay Looking at how the train moved i can tell that shit ain't safe, hope your back is ok
I didn’t actually notice airtime on that drop before the helix
I got it even up front.
I can see an RTC treatment.
I hope RMC comes in.
Put here examples of roller coasters you've ridden in the world that could you have liked it in its original opening year:
I believe I had examples of that yesterday like Thunder Run and Hurler.
Which year did they add the trim brake on the first drop on Hell Cat?
I believe it occurred within a few years of opening.
What means "save on maintenance costs"?
The park will spend less to take care of the ride.
When they put the trim brake on the drop, 2008?
I believe it was a year or two after opening.
All it takes is GCI to find out about this and we have a 2/10 go to an 8/10
This layout has a ton of potential.
It's true or false, Hellcat at Clementon Park was the roughest wooden coaster you've been in the world?
Hellcat back row is close to Coaster Express.
What's more violent? Hades 360, Hellcat , or the old wooden at Lake Compounce?
Hellcat at least has a tolerable seat in the front, but it's worse than the other two in the back car. Hades 360 and Wildcat are extremely rough in all rows.
@@CanobieCoaster I can't handle rough rides anymore at 48....
Canobie Coaster, your video of top 25 worst roller coasters in the world (2020) didn't include Hell Cat at Clementon Park
The front doesn't cause pain. It's just dull. The back row ride would place near the top. I kept it off because you can ride it without pain.
GCI Retrack the entire ride and Remove the Trim Brakes.
I wish.
You can actually see the train jolting around going up the first camelback at 4:06. It looks ridiculous.
It certainly has a kink.
nerfed, what means?
Worsened or neutered.
TLC, what is that?
Tender loving care
neutered, what means?
Toned down
S&S should stick to steel coasters 😬
If they aren’t making flat rides lol
@@humfree6436 or breaking people's backs on Dododonpa xD
I like this layout, just not the current state of it.
Out of all of my 222 rollercoasters hellcat is the worst one by far. I doubt anything I’ll ever ride will be worse than hellcat. My brain was rattling around inside my skull.
It was brutal in the back, but tolerable in front.
Why was this not in your video of 25 worst roller coasters in the world (2020)?
Because you can get a tolerable ride up front. The coasters on my worst list are painful all over.
We no NO! Talk about the back seat in 2022. Maybe they will RMC it? I think some TLC would bring it back. Hellcat, what a name. Gone to hell describes what it IS now + getting back into the park.End of the ride...Welcome to Hell. To get to Heaven, you must 1st pass through security.
I agree TLC would make this ride great.
You've been visiting Cedar Point and Kings Island since...?
2015/2016
Roughness can truly ruin good rides like this
Sure can.
the trims shouldnt be there
It's a form of mercy. I hope this ride gets a retrack and a trim removal.
Fake Title: "Hellcat is a Amazing Layout But... The rollercoaster will permanently lost all hopes for BanG Dream's English Community on reddit"
‼SPOILER ALERT‼coaster enthusiasts doesn't make sense at me
Is that a film?
@@CanobieCoaster Edit: not really
Oklahoma Coaster Fan: But apparently... English Bandori fans was so angry and furious at coaster enthusiasts about the permanently lost respects for Reddit Bandori English Community by the Hellcat's rough reputation that he was perfect successful for Canobie Coaster though,
Those heavy ptc trains will make any repairs they do to the track redundant. The heavy trains will just trash the track again. If this ride is going to continue to run as is it will need millennium flyers. I left them a message and told them on the off season to replace the trains. That or contact rmc to have certain High stress spots replaced with steel track. This ride is a liability to the park as it sits. They will for sure have a lawsuit filed against them for somebody getting hurt. Most likely somebody just looking for a quick buck. Sad that's the world we live in now.
Multiple parks can run rides smoothly with PTCs, but they do trackwork more regularly.
whos here early?
A few people
This layout is awesome but the coaster is so terrible
Agreed!
Do you like the trim brake on the first drop on Hell Cat?
Yes and no. It's mercy, but it kills the forces.