The Sojourn - love at first sight...

Dagger's Sojourn looked to be about the sweetest little canoe I've seen in a mighty long time. I'd put the inquiries out - checking for price and availability...with ash rails and cherry decks, it's a beauty!

I found one at Canoecopia in Madison, probably the biggest (certainly the best!) paddling sport show in the midwest. It happened more like one of those 'B' movies than it should have. I sauntered into the Dane County Expo Center, wandered past a few displays of really neat merchandise, then saw it across the room... beckoning to me. Her lines were clean and sharp. The trim hauntingly curved to follow those graceful lines. That assymetric hull played with my senses as I got closer.

The Dagger rep walked over to me as I stood there, enchanted by this little sweetheart of a boat.
"She's a beauty, isn't she," he teased.

No doubt, he could tell that I didn't stand a chance. Honest to goodness - this is the sweetest little boat I've ever laid eyes on. While I'd hoped to take a look at the Sojourn, I really didn't have any plans to come home with one (so he says. Did he mention that the racks were on the truck?), I only wanted to take a good, close look at it. There were months to plan before paddling season would arrive. There was NO need to rush into a purchase... of course, there were a couple in stock, and Rutabaga (the paddling store that sponsors Canoecopia) did have a wonderful show-price on this little beauty. How could I say no?

Length = 14' 9" Beam = 29" Depth = 12.5" Weight = 44# (w/wood trim)
Slight Flare on the ends, tumblehome amidships, and an R-Light (tm) asymmetrical hull.

Dave spent his pennies like crazy for this one!
Check out Dagger's website! (btw: their picture, above, not mine!)

Well, it followed me home. Can I keep it?

There it hung from the rafters in the garage, playing with my mind every time I pulled the truck in. The other boats scattered around paled in comparison - this is a beauty. Would it paddle well? Would it keep me dry? Hey, it's been 5 years since I've picked up a new boat - was I too old to learn the ways of new little sprite like this one? Would it be too tippy for this old guy? Weeks of worry...

Spencer on the Middle Branch of the Ontonogan

...until today! I took the afternoon off - the weather was a sunny 68 degrees, the ice has been off the river for almost a week, and this is the first really decent day since ice-out. They're talking about thunderstorms tomorrow, maybe snow on Saturday, and a high of 38 on Sunday. If I'm going to get out, I better get going. I hung the workload on anyone who meandered too close to my office, and headed out the door. Racks on the truck - the Sojourn gently cradled into place and snugged carefully down. Over to the nearest put-in - just above the mill pond dam in Grafton. The water is high and there's a healthy current pushing on through. No shuttle, today... I'll have to just paddle upstream to try 'er out ... I'll just go up until the current is too pushy to go any further.

Laid that little bottom into the river, stepped carefully in and dropped down to kneel. Rocked her from side to side to find the stability points - it's a solid little boat! Somewhat rounded on the bottom to give it just the right amount of squirm, but excellent secondary stability. I pushed off into the current and started to push upstream. Solid, the whole way. The stems are in a little deeper than what I've been accustomed to, but the water's just too darned cold to play the edges so I'll have to wait to pick up that move when it warms up some more. It'll be great in flat water... an ideal tripping boat.

I couldn't be happier! What a treat this Sojourn is. Perhaps the best money I've ever spent on a boat.

Watch here for further developments as the weather warms!