C-Forum

does anyone know when the Savage Skeeter was initially made? how about when they stopped making the hull?

also does anyone have a clue as to if the company Savage is still around anywhere? or where they were based out of

i just bought a used one to get into OC-1 , instead of paddling a cumbersome Dagger Genesis in whitewater...........should be a riot

I believe Savage started around '94 northwest of Asheville, NC. I could be wrong on Northwest Asheville, but while on the way to the Nolichucky another Paddler, EY, said thats where Savage was made. I would think the skeeter would have been a year or two later, but this is a guess. I had owned a skeeter and enjoyed it, after an unintentional ender. (which I thought was the most fun thing I had done in a boat) and it lead me to buy a Spanish FLy for more playing. Rumor has it, the innovative designs largely inspired the plastic OC1s of the late 90's. I'm not sure when they went out of business, but I'd guess it would be between 98 and 2000.

Bill

I bought my Skeeter from Appomattox River Co, Farmville VA on Feb 6, 1999. It was reported to be a first run boat and the first delivered to a VA dealer. Paddled it for 3 years + with bilge pump. Sold to "cheajack" Shuler after converting BigGun C-1. Skeeter was very easy to paddle but wet.

Skeeter was a Frankie Hubbard design (Mohawk Edge/Viper, Dagger Ocoee, Pyranha Prelude/Spanish Fly). Savage went out of bus. in US maybe 2001??? and went to England as Sauvage for a short while (Skeeter no longer produced as far as I know). Sauvage designs were then picked up by Pyranha - thus the Prelude.

so my skeeter is prob from about 1999? is that the consensus/

Does it have a serial # on it?? If it does usually the last two digits is the production year.

problem solved ! the etched in serial number comes up with a date of 1998 !
thanks for everyones help

I believe they were only made for a year and 1998 must have been the year. By August 2000, the Superfly was already out of production and Savage was out of business. I believe Savage had their boats molded outside of Greenville SC. Do not remember the town but I think the company was based around Erwin, TN. Below is a copy of an email I got about a Skeeter that I bought and paddled for a couple years.


"Saw your post on Gear Swap. I live in Erwin, TN near the Nolichucky. I did some contract R&D work for SaVage V up until they went under, and traded some work for a blem Skeeter (it's the one sailing off the cliff at Rock Island in the centerfold of Paddler mag a while back). It's a solid boat, I would take $275.00 for it without airbags. I also have a used Superfly(much better boat IMO) that I would take $350.00 for without airbags. I have joined with Frankie Hubbard (the designer of these two boats) in a new venture called Team Edge Imports (visit our site at www.teamedgeimports.com). Our new design-the Spanish Fly- will be arriving here next week, so I won't be needing these other two boats then. Let me know if you're interested."