Well, Nirrad - that was quite a welcome, wasn't it :-)?
Certainly the
boat is not of conventional aspect, but then, I'm sure, the same may be said of many of the members of this 'ere forum. They may sail quite adequately even so :-)!
So now for the
boat:
The pic sez clearly that you are in
British Columbia. You confirm it by mentioning the flood we are living through. My workshop flooded, but what I
lost is as nothing compared with the losses of the poor farmers in Sumas Prairie down the street from me! So just where are you? Harrison Lake by any chance ? I ask because if you are near me, I'll gladly take a swing by to see what you've really got. Send me a PM if you would like.
You can disregard the comment about bullrails. Bullrails is the BC standard, and they are in many, many ways superior to any alternative I've ever had to do with. They do, of course, require that you know how to tie a
knot called a "round turn and two hitches". Better still if you can tie that
knot "on the bight". In the pouring rain. With one hand. In the dark. :-)
Now: That the boat is called a "Dana" - which I assume is something you've been told by the seller - in combination with the configuration of the stern indicates that the boat was designed by a
novice with romantic notions. This FDP (Former Danish Person) thinks so, because there is a total misconception abroad in this 'ere colony, and more particularly to the south of us, that "if it's Danish, it's good". 'Taint necessarily so! The thinking seems to go like this: "Dana" ~ Danish. Pointy butt end ~ Redningssköjte. Aha! Must be one helluva sea boat!
All that notwithstanding, the boat may in fact be a perfectly fine boat in which to learn the basics, both about boat handling and about yacht design. So send me a PM and I will see what I can do to help you along.
All the best
TrentePieds