Alchemy 14.0 LG

Previous kayaks were a Current Designs Kestrel 12 HV and a Seaward Quest 19'. The Kestrel HV is a great boat for bouncing down rocky rivers but too wide to be fast and although i had done several multiday trips, it lacks enough dry storage for comfortable camping. The Seaward was the other extreme. Fast and could hold much gear but unwieldy, and difficult for this 71 year old to load to the roof rack. The Alchemy is very close to the perfect boat for extended trips in the Adirondacks. It is very fast, and and the 3 hatches hold easily a weeks gear. My 6' 210lbs body with size 14 feet fits comfortably although i do prefer to get out and stretch every hour and a half.or so. I did make 6 map miles on flat water in 70 minutes fully loaded with gear. There is enough rocker to make it very nimble but it tracks fairly well with the skeg up. Skeg down, it is on rails. Have not yet had it in big water but it is a ball in 2 footers and powerboat wakes. No regrets buying this boat.

I am familiar with the entire Confluence line of 14 footers. The Perception Carolina 14 and the Wilderness Tsunami 140. I have the 140 and it is a good boat but after some paddle time and developing my style. I began looking for a more "playful" boat. The Alchemy seemed to fit the bill. I rented one from my local kayak shop and spent a day on the river and a day on a lake with slightly breezy conditions, The Alchemy handled every element very well, with a fair amount of primary and secondary stability. It tracked surprisingly well, even without the skeg deployed. Basically was just fun to paddle. The main glaring issue was the stern hatch which is very similar to the Carolina. If a hatch is not capable of being water tight why put it on a boat of this caliber. It was loose and floppy and could easily be flicked off with my pinky finger. Note to Confluence stick to a quality hatch design like the Wilderness Systems, which are a lot better. Now probably a mute point since Dagger discontinued this great boat. Bring it back with quality hatches and you got a superstar of a boat.

This boat rocks! I bought it for my other, so he could go out with me and keep up with my Wilderness Zephyr 15.5 on the Intra-coastal waterways, Florida rivers and lakes. It is very maneuverable and quick turning, but still has a stable feeling for beginners. The Dagger is also long enough at 14 ft to track nicely and the deck low enough to not catch the wind too much. The drop-down skeg adds stability and better tracking in tidal surge conditions, but is easily retracted. He says that the seat is a bit uncomfortable and could be padded a little more. The seat, sling back rest and thigh pads are all completely adjustable. The large fits his 5'10" 185lb slim frame well, except it's a bit of a tight fit for long legs to tuck in. After a test run with a friend's boat, I knew this was an excellent choice for a confident beginner or a experienced water fiend to play in the surf or in the current of the springs of Florida. Happy, Happy!

I purchased my Dagger Alchemy 14.0L after demoing it along with a Wilderness Systems Tsunami 140 (without rudder). I tested both on a small lake in SC. I am 6'01" 190lbs. The Alchemy was a great fit. I highly recommend testing both kayaks if you are unsure of which you would prefer. The WS Tsunami felt very stable and comfortable. However, I chose the Dagger for it's maneuverability and drop down skeg. The boat tracks very well with the skeg deployed. My previous kayak was a 10.5 foot WS Aspire. In my first trip with the Alchemy I could immediately tell how much quicker it was. I'm very happy with my purchase.

On my second Alchemy, and if something happened to this one, would get a third.
Great day touring boat. This is my daily driver boat - the on I use for most everything I do. Surfing, rock gardening, paddling for most of a day. Tracks reasonably well, but no so tight that it also can;t be turned quickly. It does it all and does it well. I have used for up to 3 night camping, but storage gets tight after a night or two. Longer boat with more space would be useful for camping.

The Alchemy is good for a beginner. has good primary stability, largish cockpit opening (but not so large you can;t get a good skirt to seal it). But the boat also works well for advanced paddlers (this boat is commonly paddled by members of Neptune's Rangers Ocean Whitewater Team - http://neptunesrangers.com/).

One downside is the large hatch on the back is know to leak, and in some cases pop off under extreme pressures (wave breaking over back deck or the like). Dagger used to have a gasket that could be added to seal the leak, and straps can be added that go over the hatch to hold it on. Float bags in the hatch are also a good idea if you are using the boat in conditions.

Oh, I replaced my first boat due to general wear, but also because the bulkheads were leaking. I heard that in 2014 or so, they changed how they attached the bulkheads which would make them less prone to leaking. So far so good on the new one (2+ years of heavy use).

I really love this boat! It is a ton of fun to paddle!

I think it's important to understand the reviewer. I am an experienced novice. The Alchemy 14L is my 3rd boat. My 2nd boat, which I still have, is a 15.5' Eddyline Journey. Even though I'd describe the Eddyline as a better craft in almost every aspect, every time I take out the Alchemy I can't believe just how much fun it is to paddle! I do mostly lake paddling but have taken the Alchemy in the ocean and rivers.

This is a perfect boat to learn some skills on. So it's ideal for a novice or intermediate paddler. I've had people who've never been in a kayak before slip this baby on and feel very confident in no time at all. It is not the fastest boat but with a little extra effort you'll keep up with anyone. The Alchemy is a super responsive kayak. It spins like a compass needle when doing sweep strokes. It edges nicely and responds to paddle input and pressure on the foot pegs like you won't believe. I'd describe both primary and secondary stability as excellent. It tracks like you'd expect a 14' boat to track but the whole point of this boat is to develop skills so edge the darn thing to go straight.

Since we are talking about course correction, let's talk about the skeg. I try not to use it. Yes an incremental amount of skeg will help the Dagger go straight but once deployed, the drag it creates slows the kayak to what feels like a crawl. All the reviews I've read about this boat says that the skeg rattles when fully deployed. Yup, it sure does and you might find it annoying but I didn't see it as a big problem because the Alchemy excels at everything else. It's a great platform for a novice or intermediate paddler to develop and practice skills.

The seat is excellent. Very adjustable and comfortable. I like the low backband. Excellent hip pads and knee braces. It's easy to get connected in this boat. Last but not least, it's a good looking boat. I'd highly recommend this craft if it sounds like what your looking for in a kayak.

First, a little info about myself. I am a intermediate skill level paddler (I guess) but have had no lessons. I am a 46 yr. old, 5'8", 160Lb man. I kayak mainly on Lake Jocassee in South Carolina but have been to the coast a few times.

This is my follow up review of the Alchemy after owning it for a year. My skill set has expanded greatly after a year in the Alchemy and I can now perform maneuvers such as a bow and stern rudder, skulling draw, low brace inside turn, rolling, and more. I mention this only to point out what is possible in an Alchemy. I still have much to learn and improve on and I feel that the Alchemy is suited to doing this. It is not fast by sea kayak standards, but I can keep up with anyone, just with more effort. The Alchemy can be put far on edge but the semi-hard chine requires a feel for the kayak.

The Alchemy responds on edge, turning without using a sweep stroke. In fact, it responds keenly to any stroke and is very playful. In my first review [2014-12-23] I said that it had to be paddled carefully to keep it tracking straight without the skeg deployed. Not so. As my skills improved and I became used to the boat, I found it easier and easier to keep straight. Now I only use the skeg when I'm not moving or I am in a cross wind. It will weather cock when not being paddled or paddled very slowly. The skeg can be adjusted to any position up and down. I got to play in the waves on the coast and I always felt in control. My first attempt at surfing was fun in spite of my lack of knowing what I was doing. I learned to roll in the Alchemy. I suppose that learning to roll on ones own would mean that a kayak is easy to roll. I assume that a narrower kayak would be even easier to roll, but after much practice, I con roll with ease. I've even managed to pull off a butterfly roll.

A couple of negatives are that the stern hatch leaks pretty badly and so does the bulkhead between the day and rear compartments. The poly is fairly rigid but will deform on a J-rack in the sun for several hours. This happened to me once, but I was able to use a hair dryer and weights to fix it. As others have mentioned,the skeg does knock around when deployed. I am not bothered by it, but it could irk some people.

This is a low volume boat. I cannot manage more than a two day camping trip in it, and that is with have the gear strapped to the deck. I can see myself moving on to a full expedition size fiberglass kayak in the future as my skills improve. For now though, The Alchemy is just right for me.

See a short demo video at www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFMCM9eKAkw or search fo DAGGER ALCHEMY 14OL.

I've had the Alchemy 14L for a little over a year now. Paddled it ~15 times last summer and 2 times so far this year. I've paddled it on a couple of medium size lakes and down a river with up to class II rapids and it does both equally well. Haven't taken it on big water yet but looking forward to trying a tour on Lake Superior hopefully this summer. Like other reviewers have commented the retractable skeg really helps the boat track well when down and affords the boat surprising maneuverability when retracted. Lastly, the length is nearly perfect. It's light enough and short enough to load, unload and carry myself (I'm only 5'10" and 155 pounds) but 14 feet is long enough to handle waves fairly well. If I get seriously into long tours I may decide to get a dedicated 16 or 17 foot touring kayak but so far the Alchemy 14 has performed well in all the water I've taken it on.

I've had an interest in the Alchemy for several years, but had never had the opportunity to paddle one. Having sold my seakayak last fall, and having a trip to Hatteras Island, NC planned for this past weekend; I bought an Alchemy 14.0L without a test paddle.

After about 5 hours total paddling, I am very pleased with the purchase. First about me - 6'0", 210 lbs. Fairly experienced paddler in both ocean and whitewater, but have not paddled for the last year post a shoulder injury. In general, I greatly prefer maneuverable boats and don't mind trading some tracking or speed to get it.

Conditions - Ocean side, 1.5 - 2.5' shore break and swell. Also paddled at Cape Point in confused claptois type conditions. Sound side, winds about 15 and running across the 1' wind chop.

The Alchemy exceeded my expectations in the surf and claptois - loved how controllable it is on a wave. Several times, I was able to bring it back on line after starting to broach pretty significantly. I'm not a great surfer and was definitely rusty, so it made me look better than I deserved. Speed is acceptable, but if max speed is your objective you probably aren't considering an Alchemy.

Perhaps more surprising was how much I enjoyed the Alchemy in the wind chop. While it did weathercock more than I expected, it was highly responsive to the skeg. I could leave the skeg up and control with edging and sweeps; but found that by adjusting the skeg - I could paddle my desired course across or even away from the wind or waves without extra effort. Playing with the amount of skeg deployed reminded me of using a rudder and setting it to hold course.

The boat is lighter than I would expect for a 14' plastic boat and shoulder carries well. It is a wetter ride than many similar boats, owing to the relative low volume in the bow and low deck height. I particularly noticed this paddling into the waves and wind while on the Sound. Having barely paddled for a year, the impressive primary stability was appreciated. It felt a little less comfortable way over on edge, sculling than I expected with the hard chines to lean on. Perhaps just a function of my rustiness.

Overall, very pleased with my first weekend of paddling in the Alchemy 14L

Excellent kayak; very fun when the day is windy and there are waves in the sea. The skeg works very well, the seat is very comfortable and the kayak is maneuverable even for a beginner, it was a very good choice.

Maybe the best kayak I have paddled. Have owned or paddled most of British performance boats. A surf magnet. Fast for it's length, WW type outfitting, Swede form, nimble but great stability. Great for beginners all round boat or advanced looking for surf toy. Thinking it will be my storm boat of choice. Seems like a stiff hull for plastic boat. Two bulkheads, good/secure rubber hatch covers. Shocked to get this at $1100 or less.

2013 Dagger Alchemy, I purchased this 14 foot boat because I wanted a kayak that has varied use. It tracks fairly well for open water and very well with the dagger board even partially down. But it still has enough rocker to bring in fast running streams and is short enough to turn around in small back waters.

I have a traditional back band seat which is comfortable though I've not been in the seat for more then 3hrs at a time. Only issue I have with the boat is that the dagger board when fully lowered bangs from side to side which when sneaking up on wildlife is a bit of an issue. I just retracted it half way which stopped the noise.

I give the boat a 9.5 of 10

I have had my Alchemy 14L for only a few weeks but it is a great kayak. I am 6'2 and 240lbs so the cockpit is a bit snug but not so tight as to feel uncomfortable. The kayak tracks very well especially when the skeg is down.

All in all it has been a great buy. I encourage anyone considering this kayak to try it out on the water and you will likely fall in love with it. It was the best feeling boat that I tried out.

The Alchemy is the first kayak I have purchased. This decision was made after trying out many kayaks in the water. This kayak is very stable, easy to paddle and maneuver. This is my second season and couldn't wait to get back in the water again. The sleek design makes it easy to paddle up stream or just paddling around the lake.

One might wonder why Confluence would position a "touring kayak" within its moving water brand. One would only need to paddle the Alchemy. This paddler is a short-legged 5'10" with size 11 feet. I went with the larger model because of my "bike rider" thighs. I paddle 2-3 times a week, open and white water.

The search was for a mid-range boat with some performance and versatility. The significant rocker of the Alchemy (somewhat unusual in a 14-footer) caught my eye and turned out to be the decisive factor.

The hull is of reasonably good quality, with decent rigging and grab loops. I'm not a big fan of pop-on hatches, but don't see them as a major drawback. The skeg control is well recessed and functions reasonably well. When you want help going straight, it makes itself known.

Overall, the outfitting is above average. The seat is comfortable and the backband permits laying back. I favor this over a chair back seat that impedes torso rotation. With the performance this boat is capable of, I'd have preferred a ratcheted backband or something more easily adjustable from the cockpit. The thigh braces will satisfy most paddlers. But, anyone who wants to throw this around will want to engineer something more aggressive. The footpegs are easily adjustable, but I have some reservations about the durability. Nothing has broken, but I like something more substantial to kick at.

I believe they missed the boat with the stiffener that runs along the keel. They could've incorporated a bottle holder there. This is a boat you'll want to take into bumpy stuff and you won't enjoy your bottle rolling around.

This boat invites you to dive into the foam and have a ball doing it. The rocker provides ample spinnability, but lay it over on an edge and you've really got something going. Decent speed, predictable stability, unreal maneuverability and rolls like a log. Have a blast in the surf zone, rock garden or on a moderately fast moving river.

This boat is hard to classify. It paddles something like a long "crossover" kayak with harder edge. If I was going long and strong with a load, I'd take a different boat. But, if you want a fun rough water craft without busting up some expensive composite or the credit card limit, I'd slide in here.