More boat thoughts

approaching Manchester on the Bridgewater Canal

A few days ago I wrote that we were considering buying a boat for our daughter and future son-in-law to live on (temporarily) next year. I've been looking at boat ads and musing on the possibilities. Should we go for our ideal boat and see how they get on with it? Or should we ask what they want/don't want and take it from there? There are other considerations (apart from the obvious one of cost, that is). Jan and I have slightly(!) differing opinions on what's desirable in a boat.

I was drawn by one ad for a 55' trad - with a BOATMAN'S CABIN!!! And an engine room. In the (small) photo the boatman's cabin looked superb. On the downside (for me) was the loo (pumpout); on the downside (for Jan) was the trad stern. Yes, I know. She says that trad sterns aren't as sociable as cruisers or semi-trads. And to some extent I agree with her, but don't the advantages outweigh the disadvantages? There's more internal space, and work on the engine can be under cover. Yes, I know that a trad stern is also more "authentic", but the boat won't be a working boat, nor will it really pretend to be. We will use it for cruising the waterways of Britain for pleasure, and if that pleasure increases with the amount of space at the back, then that has to be taken into account.

Another boat ad was for a 56' cruiser stern which had been used as a liveaboard, complete with 3.5 kVA generator and washing machine. I have to admit the photo of the boat with a pram hood cover put me off! I know it can be easily removed, and it would give more useable space for A+B. And the washing machine would be useful to them...

And then there was the ad for a boat with my ideal layout: rear galley, forward saloon.

Of course, I haven't even started thinking about moorings yet.

(edited to add photo)