From Saluda(NC) to Salida(CO), the Dagger Green Boat has gotten the attention of kayakers of all ability levels. At 11'9" long and nearly 95 gallons, this beast of a boat fits the bill for a number applications. Creek boating, river running, expedition paddling, attainment practice and flatwater paddling are all a blast. If you haven't paddled one of these yet, I would definitely recommend trying on on your local run.
The Green boat fills a big niche in the kayaking world. It's an old school long boat with new age outfitting, a great hull (from the Nomad) and your own personal map of the Green River on the stern. A few staff members at CKS had the opportunity to paddle the GB quite a bit during high water this summer. They noticed that the boat was very stable, easy to roll and that it actually turned very well for it's size. When paddling down river, putting a little bit of the bow in slack water, whipped the hull around, making turning a breeze. It was a general consensus that this is the fastest and easiest to paddle whitewater boat on the planet. Punching holes was not a problem, due to the hull speed that can be generated by a 12' boat.
Cons:
The GB is 12' long and 50 lbs. It is long and heavy. For some people, loading and unloading it everyday could be problematic, and require the need of a sherpa. This boat is also a little easier to broach than shorter creek boats and river runners. Make sure that you get used to the way that the GB performs before you run a class IV+ boulder garden.
The Verdict:
If you like the Dagger Nomad, paddling downriver really really fast, and the color green (or red)....This is the boat for you. Beginners will like paddling it on flatwater and the ease of rolling. Intermediates can practice attaining and making moves that were previously out of their league. Experts can go run the The Green River and try to beat Pat Keller next at The Green Race next November. 4 out of the top 5 finishers, and 15 out of the top 20 were paddling the GB. You could be next!
Post Green Race Sneak Peak from Lunch Video Magazine on Vimeo.
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