The Environment Is Our Business
Dagger Kayaks & Canoes, Inc. in Harriman, Tennessee

By Laurie Perry Vaughn

Steve Scarborough has a compelling photo in his office of his hands holding a colorful tangerine darter, a small fish that is found almost exclusively in the Whites Creek Watershed area where he lives in Tennessee's rural Roane County. It serves as both a metaphor and reminder of the importance of his work at Dagger, Inc. That work includes not just designing and making legendary canoes and kayaks, but also partnering with others to ensure the scenic legacy and health of the region's water trails and lakes.

            I don’t remember not being in boats,” says Steve Scarborough, a former electrical engineer and co-founder of Dagger. He first met Joe Pulliam, the company’s president, in South Carolina in the early eighties when both the avid paddlers were working for another boat company. Joe had roots in East Tennessee’s rural Roane County, so when he and Steve decided to start their own company, they came to Harriman. Steve is now Vice President of Research and Development and Dagger’s principal boat designer.

            In 1988 Joe and Steve began their entrepreneurial adventure by leasing an 8,000 square foot building in the former Mid Town Machine Shop from a man by the name of Lucky Leisure. “It wasn’t much more than a handshake agreement,” recalls Steve. “Now we are called ‘entrepreneurs,’ but back then we were a couple of crazy guys who wanted to start a boat company.”

            Dagger now has an 80,000 square foot facility at the original site and has a second 33,000 square foot facility in the Roane County Industrial Park. Today, Dagger’s 150 employees make more than 60 different models of canoes, kayaks and sit-on-tops for touring, whitewater, wilderness tripping, general recreation and competition. The company serves 450 specialty dealers in the U.S. and Canada, with distribution networks worldwide including, Europe, Japan and Australia. Their average annual growth rate is in the double digits.

            Dagger’s distinct manufacturing process incorporates its strong environmental philosophy. All scrap materials are re-shipped for recycling. Research is constant on such issues as minimizing shipping and packaging product waste and utilizing recyclable materials whenever available.

            Dagger does all of its own designs and makes its own custom molds in its research and development facility. Marc Lyle, a former Rodeo competitor, worked with Steve and another in-house designer, Tony Lee, on the three recently released whitewater designs. They have made the process into an efficient though artful process that allows quick turnaround. A Dagger design can reach the market in as little as one or two months. This has garnered the company a reputation for innovative, cutting-edge boats.

            Sea kayaks continue to gain in popularity and have changed the market dramatically, according to John Woodruff of Dagger’s marketing department. At Dagger, canoes account for roughly 25 percent of the market and kayaks now dominate with 75 percent. “Consumers prefer the approachability and flexibility of sea kayaks,” says John.

            Dagger’s prototype designs are tested by “Team D”—a group of professional kayakers who travel to different events—the Olympics, World Championship Rodeos or the U. S. Freestyle competitions. “They will take prototypes of Dagger designs on the circuit,” says John. “They give us clear design feedback. We are constantly improving our designs and working on new designs.”

            While the hottest Dagger items are the new “rodeo” kayaks, John says that one of Dagger’s best all around kayaks is the Dagger Delta, a versatile recreational kayak designed with extra width for stability. Recreational kayaks are quite affordable tickets to outdoor adventure, especially when compared to inflatable rafts and other boats. They can be customized and personalized or even come equipped with 2 seats and kid seats. “Canoes have traditionally been the affordable family boat,” says John. “We like to continue that heritage with our products. Our boats have become virtually family heirlooms. Paddling is not necessarily your typical adrenalin building sport,” he adds. “You are never too young or too old to get started.”

            Both the Dagger’s provocative catalog and its web site (www.dagger.com) document a long list of organizations it supports. Recently the Knoxville-based Conservation Fisheries received a Dagger Legend canoe for its “field” work. Dagger also has a strong partnership with the Dogwood Alliance and SouthWings to draw attention to issues related to forestry and watershed protection. Joe Pulliam, the company’s president, is on the board of the American Canoe Association. Dagger also supports such nonprofit organizations as Canoeing for Kids and the Special Olympics, and has customized many kayaks for the Adaptive Sports Center clients who have had spinal injuries.

            “At Dagger, we believe recreation interests should have a say in what happens to our environment,” states the most recent catalog. “We are politically active: we lobby for the environment from the county courthouse to the state house to the White House. With our many partners we work to restore and protect clean water and healthy forests for the benefit of future generations.”

            “The entire industry is very environmentally oriented,” says Steve. “We wouldn’t have a business if there weren’t these beautiful places to go paddle. Most of the people in this business are doing what they love and have a strong connection to the outdoors. One of the best things about taking river trips is that you see the remnants of the great Southern forests. They can still be found along the rivers and creeks.”

            “We need a local understanding of the environment,” he adds. “We have lost the emotional and hereditary attachments to our land.” One of our problems, he says, is that “we don’t have a shared vision.” And one of the most grievous issues facing our region is “the use of our waterways as a dumping ground,” says the activist, who has testified before the Water Quality Control Board on more than one occasion. “We have got to educate everyone that with property ownership comes responsibility. We have to constantly educate new generations.”

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