Recap: Confluence Factory Tour
The ever-evolving basis of any successful community is the art of communication. In order to seamlessly interact with those around us, those we interact with second-hand, and those we may encounter unexpectedly — communication is one of the only reliable tools consistently found in our toolboxes. Undoubtedly, Foothills Paddling Club and the people involved in it’s success thrive amongst each other through direct communication. Beit the passing of new bylaws for a greater inclusion of future and existing members of the club, or the collective words of amazement that come from the impressive inner-workings of many’s favorite manufacturer. I’m one of many I’m sure, that when asked, never hesitates to say “man, I love my Dagger boat.” Those that have them, likely speak glowingly of their Perception boats as well. It’s hard not to really; the craftsmanship is top-tier, the features are to-die-for, and when combined with good friends and a good river — will never disappoint. In a way, I imagine it’s like seeing the place you grew up… yet as someone who’s still growing up, I don’t pretend to know much. Much like FPC for the Dohaney lot, I think Dagger emphasizes an important aspect of closeness in the family. We all bond (both family and friends) over the time we share on the water, many of us in Dagger crafts. They promise to keep us safe (to a certain extent — always practice safe recreation!), they promise to keep us on our toes, they promise to grow with us, and they arguably help provide us with everything we search for on the water. That being said, there was an undeniable interest in seeing where my favorite boat was polished up… literally.
Fhay, Excited about her new Dagger Rewind!
The sheer size of the operation failed to hit me until we were immersed in the process itself, then it quickly became apparent. I’ll come to admit now, rather than later, that most of my recollection is based solely off of personal experience. I sponged up whatever words I could make out, filling in the gaps for myself. I will note, the change in temperature as you walk around the facility is slightly jarring. It’s dramatic and immediately noticeable, especially as you walk alongside the rotary ovens and freshly cooled plastics before happening into the warehouse. The ground almost shakes surrounding an actively torched oven, and the speed at which they spin ensures that the resin melts and properly coats the mold. There was a thought in the back of my mind, early in the tour as we got familiarized with the resins used to create Dagger kayaks (which was described to me as, “similar to kinetic sand.” I deem it true). It was a brief thought, maybe more of a dream as I took the time to imagine all of the incredible adventures that the soon-to-be boat might go on once it made it off-property. That boat might go on to carry a beginner down their first river, or float a professional through some of the gnarliest rapids known to man; honorably, these boats are designed to be inclusive and strive to broaden the horizons of a growing sport. Cooling chambers are what I believe to be the noisiest, which makes sense — granted that massive fans work to cool large assortments of slow-spinning boats. Above all else, the coolest part of the factory tour was seeing just how much effort and dedication goes into making sure these boats (regardless of the brand or purpose they serve on water) are up to spec and looking their absolute best. Plastic density tests ensure a proper plastic shell, a fan of carefully placed flames shine up matted plastic, a quick shave off the side takes care of excess plastic (those little bits of coiled plastic work great as souvenirs), and the precise placement of stellar outfitting tops the cake. Creativity knocks for those willing to answer, as so dutifully proven by the special boats many of us got to lay eyes on. A tie-dye Code never permitted to see water stole our hearts, the new Vapor schemed boats were absolutely eye-catching, and a sunset-esque hull was sure to catch my eye.
Lastly, whereas I may not recommend doing so… I imagine that running into a slide from the factory into the raw materials warehouse would be pretty fun (the ground was very slick and nearly got the better of me, without breaking a meandering walk). That is, if you can stay on your feet before succumbing to the ground.
I’ve made some of my greatest memories on whitewater in a Dagger boat… Here's to the many more I plan on making in the future.
