Daggerboards or bilge keels on cat.

If already built then I suspect it be the daggerboards. fully raised they offer least draft for poling/trolling in shoal water, and I assume they don't have to be all the way down for less than optimal sailing.

I have a question: why do cat center/dagger boards need cases built into the hulls? Any reason they can't be pivoted like leeboards? Would provide better access for maintenance and eliminate a source of leakage.

 

On this boat the rudders are the lowest part, they are fixed, and the idea of mini keels was to protect them and remove all the hassel of the dagger board lifting gear. Yes the boat is ready to paint, but that does not mean we cannot modify still. The dagger boards are built, someone with the same design can use em if need be.