C-Forum

Hey I just bought an Dagger Atom and was wondering if there are any "warnings" on quirks of the boat? I've been out of real paddling for about 1.5 years due to a shoulder separation.

What boats have you paddled?
The Atom is a great river runner with a slalom boat heritage.
So long as you don't let the current catch up behind you it's as mild mannered as they come. It ain't a boat that likes a back ferry though.

Paddle aggressively and point upstream if you want to slow down.

That's my take.

Agreed. Just don't let the water catch those edges in a way you aren't expecting and you'll be fine. Lean aggressively wherever leaning is appropriate, this will keep the edges doing what they're supposed to despite their "catchy" characteristics. Beware of the boat becoming submerged, including the front digging in while surfing... unless you're trying to do an ender... that flat deck doesn't shed water well and the boat will do some really strange stuff, really quickly when the bow goes under. It's a really fun boat to paddle and extremely capable once you get the hang of it. It will teach you to lean into your eddy turns and other things you should be doing already but might not be if you use a less edgy boat-- because you can get away with it in that case. Once you learn to stay vigilant so it doesn't catch you by surprise, you'll find it reliable, fast, and fun to paddle.

not a slalom heritage. andy bridge was a downriver racer.

anybody know the weight limit for the Atom?

I've never been fond of it and suspected it was due to my weight - I'm 210+.

anybody know the weight limit for the Atom?

At 215# I had less than 2" of freeboard left. I didn't stay in it long because of that.

thanks...probably not the boat for me at 215.

The Atom definitely has some slalom lines to it - just because Andy excelled at Downriver doesn't mean he didn't paddle other craft:)

In my opinion the Atom has a weight range to it - too heavy and you're less likely to be fond of it (as SBroam stated is his case)... and likewise too light (my 165 lbs) and it is equally annoying - I'm not heavy enough to stern squirt it well, and the upper rear deck is definitely "catchy" on larger features. I know, I should squash it...KNeal is 20? lbs heavier, and has a blast with his squashed Atom....

Thanks for the feedback, I'm hoping to give it a go this week.

I've paddle a few OCs and some converted K1s, never paddle a "real" C1 before so looking forward to a little water time.

I just got back from my second time out on moving water in my new (to me) Atom. I'm also 210+ pounds and it seems to sit a little low in the water with me in it. After spending a year and a half confidently paddling my Vertige in up to Class III water, the Atom in Class I/II makes me feel like a beginner. At first it felt fine to me, but then I started discovering it's "edginess" and tendency to submerge. The "edginess" is no big deal, just a learning curve that I haven't had to deal with until now. The way it submerges is the most troubling thing for me, and it's going to take some getting used to. It surfs small waves really well, but big powerful playspots seem to grab the nose and try to send it to the bottom.

I would enjoy this boat more if I could get comfortable in it. My ankles / feet kept falling asleep every 15 minutes, and my knees gave me pain half way through the trip. I'll have to try some added saddle height to see if that helps. I'm also having a tough time getting the thigh straps to stay tight, fell out of the boat while getting into position to try a roll.

I'm having fun with it, but it's frustrating and humbling as well.

I started paddling an Atom, my first decked boat, this past year too. It's a blast, isn't it?

Forgetting to bring that dam skirt to the river has been the biggest source of aggravation to put it mildly.

The boat initially felt twitchy, as if some troll kept reaching up out of the water and pushing down on one edge or the other, somewhere behind my back. Perserverance was the cure. I gradually learned where the boundaries of its stability are, and that allowed me to relax, loosen up, and sit up properly. Now it's remarkably non-twitchy.

I set up differently to roll in the c1. My open boat roll is conventional: it sets up with torso at the surface, perpendicular to keel, facing down, over the paddle shaft. At first, I struggled miserably to achieve that position in the c1. Too far submerged. Eventually I stopped giving a flip about where my torso is relative to the paddle shaft and--voila--it all came together. The principles and motions are the same with that one exception: I don't insist on getting my forehead over or onto my shaft hand...at least not before initiating the roll. Skip that. It's better to reach the paddle blade up to the surface, grab hold, and get it done.

Now I'm trying to incorporate opposite-side tilt and rearward lean to engage the stern edges and put more snap into my turns. (thanks for the tutoring, Marshall). Still capsizing almost every time but digging the crack of the whip sensation. Hope to have my grip hand behind the head soon. That will be proper.

That's been my first-decked-boat learning curve. It's been a lot of fun to suck all over again and solve these problems. --tw
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I've paddled the Atom for 8 years now. I'm 6'4 160-170 lbs and love this boat for general paddling. The comments on the weight range are valid in my experience, but if you're tall like I am, the leverage of height overcomes the lower end limitation. Though my friend in McHenry who is 5'6 140-150 can paddle the Atom with ease and precision, but he doesn't like boats with edges. The Atom requires aggressive paddling in class III-IV rapids, it wants to be heading somewhere ahead of the current. It tends to disappear in foam piles and resurface straight up and over, so a good roll is necessary. The reason I say straight up is that you usually sink till your tail catches the green water. The boat is very quick to turn and I have had some surprising outcomes that have made me look better than I am.