Dagger Quake History
This page is my attempt at documenting the history of what I think is one of the best whitewater canoe designs made to date – the Dagger Quake.
The Quake was designed by Steve Scarborough at Dagger Canoes in 1998 to compete in the whitewater canoe freestyle (rodeo) world championship. The first prototypes (V1) were taken to Canada by Mark Scriver, Paul Mason, and Joe Langman. After paddling V1, they asked Dagger to make a few changes: they wanted a hull that was more symmetrical with more defined rocker, a spin disk, and decks like the Savage Skeeter, as the canoe freestyle rules had recently changed to favor more spin moves. Dagger made some tweaks to the design and sent V2 up to Canada. This feedback cycle continued a few more times until we ended up with V5, which is what most of us know as the Dagger Quake. Despite the relatively quick design iterations of the prototypes, the Quake was overshadowed in freestyle competitions by boats that spun better like the SuperFly (1999) and the SpanishFly (2000). Team Dagger paddlers Paul Mason and Joe Langman even attempted to improve the Quake’s ability to spin by heating the ends and driving a truck over them to flatten them, which actually worked.
The Quake originally came with the “Dagger Tray” outfitting, consisting of a foam pedestal and Velcro straps attached to a plastic tray that bolted into the hull. The original outfitting also included a pair of 36″ Dagger branded air bags and a Dagger branded water bottle. Being originally designed for freestyle competition, the Quake has a low gunwale and is considered a wet boat for downriver paddling. Quakes were made in a wide variety of colors, ranging from solid colors to multi-color swirl designs. The Quakes with the more intricate designs that look like finger painting have come to be known as “3rd Shift” boats, hinting to rumors that they were molded by the Dagger night crew where more “creative juices” were flowing.
In all, it is estimated about 100 Dagger Quakes were molded. The mold was fiberglass and eventually became unrepairable and was scrapped. In the mid 2010’s, Quakes begin seeing a resurgence in popularity. Once the original outfitting is updated to a bulkhead saddle and a bilge pump is added, the Quake makes an excellent creeker.
Dagger Quake Registry
This is a list of known Dagger Quakes with pictures and some of their history, if known. Along with these below, I know of about 10 others for which I have very little to no details, making the total around 50.
For privacy, only the owner’s initials are given. Use the arrows beside the picture (or swipe if you’re on a mobile device) to scroll through the remaining pictures. For suggested additions or corrections to the registry, please email matt@ridgespirit.com.
V2 Prototype
- Location: Tennessee
- Owner: ML
- 3rd Shift?: No
- Nickname: ElderQuake
- Notes: This is the only known V2 prototype that exists. Notice the lack of symmetry between the bow and stern. There was no serial number assigned to this boat.
V4 Prototype (MISSING)
- Location: Unknown
- Owner: ML
- 3rd Shift?: No
- Notes: This boat is currently missing / stolen. It is blue and white and has some unique features that make it different from the V5 Quakes. There is no serial number on this boat. If you have any information on this missing boat, please contact matt@ridgespirit.com, so we can help return it to the rightful owner.
DAQ90999L999
- Location: Georgia
- Owner: AD
- Previous Owners: MC
- 3rd Shift?: No
- Notes: Inverted Dagger logo. BLEM stamped into hull beside serial number.
DAQ95786C999
- Location: Georgia
- Owner: MH
- Previous Owners: HS, CB, TC, HR, TC
- 3rd Shift?: No
- Nickname: SmurfQuake
- Notes: Blue with white accents.
DAQ96614B999
- Location: Alabama
- Owner: WL
- Previous Owners: BZ, ZH, SB, TW
- 3rd Shift?: Yes
- Nickname: Solo Jazz
DAQ96643A999
- Location: Georgia
- Owner: TC
- Previous Owners: HS, JS
- 3rd Shift?: Yes
- Nickname: AmeriQuake
DAQ96647B999
- Location: Tennessee
- Owner: MT
- Previous Owners: JT, AH
- 3rd Shift?: Yes
- Nickname: CosmiQuake
- Notes: DEMO stamped onto hull
DAQ99422D999
- Location: Georgia
- Owner: AY
- Previous Owners: CB, RH
- 3rd Shift?: No
- Nickname: ImposterQuake
- Notes: So nicknamed because it looks very similar to the missing Prototype V4, but is actually a V5.
HECTOR14
- Location: Nevada
- Owner: NT
- Previous Owners: CB, RC
- 3rd Shift?: No
- Nickname: Hector
- Notes: Purchased in 2014 from the widow of an ex-Dagger employee as an un-serialized, un-outfitted, un-used hull. The serial number “HECTOR14” was chosen because it “looked like a Hector” and was assembled in 2014.
NONE #1
- Location: Tennessee
- Owner: NS
- Previous Owners: PD
- 3rd Shift?: No
- Notes: There is nothing engraved in the place at the stern where the serial number goes. Previous owner had bonded a large scoop to the bow as a water deflector, which has since been removed.
NONE #2
- Location: Vermont
- Owner: MO
- Previous Owners: HN, SB, BS
- 3rd Shift?: No
- Notes: There is nothing engraved in the place at the stern where the serial number goes.
NONE #3
- Location: Alabama
- Owner: GS
- 3rd Shift?: Yes
- Nickname: Land of the Rising Sun
- Notes: There is no serial number on this boat, however there is an original sticker on the side with “46654”, which does fit the typical format for the middle part of a Quake’s serial number.
V5DAQ42716D999
- Location: Japan
- Owner: JM
- 3rd Shift?: No
- Nickname: Lost At Sea
- Notes: This Quake was brand new, never paddled in 2019. The story is that this Quake was dropped in the hold of a container ship and left there for nearly 20 years before finally being retrieved and sold.
V5DAQ42784D999
- Location: Georgia
- Owner: AY
- Previous Owners: JA, TF
- 3rd Shift?: No
- Nickname: Sun Dried Tomato
- Notes: Appears very sun faded and “fuzzy”
V5DAQ98325B999
- Location: Arkansas
- Owner: KL
- Previous Owners: OW, RD
- 3rd Shift?: Yes
- Nickname: Ag Quake
- Notes: Part of Dagger logo has been sanded off
UNKNOWN 5 (need serial)
- Location: Idaho
- Owner: KM
- 3rd Shift?: Unknown
- Note: Fitted with wooden splash decks
UNKNOWN 6 (need serial)
- Location: North Carolina
- Owner: AW
- Previous Owners: PD, JS, WA
- 3rd Shift?: Unknown
UNKNOWN 10 (need serial)
- Location: British Columbia, Canada
- Owner: RB
- Previous Owners: Unknown
- 3rd Shift?: Unknown
