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Seriously, I don't understand the fear of dagger boards (not specifically from you, just as a general statement). Unless you sail extensively in the surf, it's almost a non-issue. They're really a piece of cake, and virtually every other sailboat in the world has to deal with a dagger board or keel of some sort. Don't let dagger boards be a deal-breaker on an otherwise perfect boat.
Thank god I had a swing centerboards instead of dagger boards this last weekend. I hit an underwater boulder at speed (~12-15 knots) and destroyed my port centerboard (took a grapefruit sized chunk out of it). The boat hit so hard that the front of the board shattered, it came unhooked, ripping out from the trunk and had to cut away (the board up/down line). Lost the spring, but fortunately I had a spare board and spring and there was no damage to the well/trunk. I would hate to think what might of happened if I had dagger boards.
I also banged up the bottom of both bows and had to do a quick epoxy job (quick set marine type that can be applied to wet surfaces, even underwater) to get back on the water the next day. Now back at home, I have to remove my epoxy patch and do some serious glass/gel coat work. On the Plus side I got in 6 days of great sailing in winds from 5 - 25 mph