Dagger Caper T

Now discontinued for some time, this was Dagger's original whitewater Royalex boat. If you are able to locate a used one, I would encourage you to purchase this fine piece of a legendary canoe maker's history and use it!

I've owned my Dagger Caper for over ten years now and couldn't be happier with it. I am not an expert paddler and have only used this boat on up to Class III+ whitewater. I frequently paddle this boat on mild whitewater and it is a joy. I paddle mainly on the Hiwassee River, Nantahala River, Little River, Citico Creek, and sections of the Tellico River. I also use this canoe in slack waters on local lakes and ponds. It has been used for overnight 20-mile trips on the Caney Fork River.

Dagger Caper shown here exiting Devil's Shoals on the Hiwassee River

The Caper was Joe Pulliam's first Royalex whiterwater canoe. It was made here in Tennessee starting in 1988. It measures 14' 4" long with a max beam of 31.5". The Caper weighs in right at 60 lbs. It has 5" of rocker. This Dagger features two kneeling thwarts, a symmetrical hull, and nearly straight gunwales.

I have found that this boat turns lightning fast and is very maneuverable. It is ready to surf to your heart's content. Beginners may find the Caper to be a bit twitchy and tipsy. There is nary a flat place on the hull. It can also prove easy to upset if you are attempting to go tandem. I've only shared my boat once with a well balanced partner and a few times with my daughter and nephew who are both small and have good balance.

Dropping off the 4' ledge on the beautiful Hiwassee

I have used my Caper on flat water quite often. This is an exercise in patience. This boat is at home in swift moving water, not on lakes or ponds. Nevertheless, once familiar with it, it is not a problem to paddle on still or slow moving water. I've also loaded this thing to the gills with camping gear and did 20+ miles on the Caney Fork River in Middle Tennessee. (I was elected to be the mule since everyone else thought kayaks were the way!) On this trip the versatility of this boat really shined through. I was able to haul over 100lbs of gear and remain stable enough to fish and be quite comfy.

Going submarine, popping thru the Lesser Wesser (Nantahala Falls) on the Nanty

In conclusion, I would like to say that if you are in the market for a great whitewater canoe and can find a solid used example of this boat, BUY IT! If not, PM me on its whereabouts! I've enjoyed my boat for over 10 years now and hope to be for many more. This is a very capable boat and let's face it, Royalex is a thing of the past now. "They don't make them like they used to" has never rang so true.

I agree with Average Joe on the greatness of the Dagger Caper T. I have one fitted with a Preception saddle for solo. I have run a lot of class 3 and 4 ww in MT, ID, and WY. It has been amazing. It's also for sale!

Won't go into lengthy discussion, but as Joe said they don't make like they used to.

My friend and I did class 4 ww that only a very few people have done in open canoes. He had the smaller Dagger (can't remember the name) and got through the mad mile on the Gallatin w/o swimming.  I made House Rock Rapids but swam a good portion of the mile, but it wasn't the Capers fault!

Check out Billings Mt. CL for my 4sale posting soon and get a great ww boat.

Tim

Background

See above!