A question I keep asking myself recently. The first boat we had built 'Christina K' , I really liked and enjoyed. 55' great layout for our family of 3 and the dog & cat. It served us well for about 10 years when we sold because we fancied a change and our daughter had hit her mid teens and prefered to stay at home than go off with us on hols.
Last spring we thought it might be good to go back on the Canals , so started looking around at second hand ones this time.
We looked round quite a few and my oh fancied a long front deck of around 6 - 8' etc etc. I can only say in my defense I was suffering from very noisey anti social neighbours and I was having frequent gall stone probs so my judgement was clouded at the time.
Isn't it funny how you don't notice things really until its too late and you have purchased that boat. The layout doesn't work, the front deck is too long and a waste of space, there is less living space in this 70' than in the old 55'. So bite the bullet and go for full refit, partial over next 5 years or try and sell? Hope this is just the winter blues and the boat will prove itself in the summer - if the engine every starts again!!! Wanna buy a boat?

There's nothing that can't be fixed

I can see why your OH would like a long front deck... fabulous place to sit and chill in the warmer months and it can also be 'covered' and still used in the colder ones! I'm having seating/storage built in mine so we can sit there and have breakfast

I think you're right.... your suffering from SAD and it'll pass

Our boat has a 6 ft covered bow deck and we wouldn't be without it. Great if we ever get nice weather, but equally useful in winter as you can store coal/logs bike etc and still have room to get in and out.

Most people seem to think the front deck improves the appearance of our boat and I don't think i'd have it any shorter, if anything, if I had a 70 ft boat I'd have it even longer.

Putting a cratch on our made a tremendous difference. We refer to it as the conservatory.

Cheers Graham

We too refer to the covered cratch as "The conservatory." Wouldn't be without it.

Dare I mention that we have a pram hood over the semi trad stern? That really brought our boat alive, giving tons more usable space.

Your narrowboat sounds absolutely lovely. We know of a boating couple who have just the same sort of boat as you.

They have gutted it and are in the process of re-fitting (this is all while they are living on it).

They also have a 6-8ft bow and they hold dinner parties in there. Not only is it extremely practical it looks lovely.

If I had to choose again though, I would go for the narrowboat which has the aeroplane landing deck on the front - I just drool when I see them (and they have hardly any living space at all). I think the official name for them is the 'Tug Style' Narrowboat!

I've just ordered a pram cover for my stern too; can't wait

For your stern or the boat's stern? Sorry couldn't resist.

I couldn't afford one for my personal stern lol

Ours is affectionately called the 'carbuncle'. Wouldn't be without it even if it does nothing for the look of a narrowboat. Warm and dry in all weathers, great!

I had a template for a pram hood carried out on Monday & the fitter has just phoned me to say that he will fit the boat out tomorrow (Friday). There already is a cratch cover so we can now sit out front or back in the evenings & , more importantly, I will not get wet in the rain .

royalscot

Thanks for the replies think it must be winter blues - followed by a stinking cold which I am just getting over. I will refer to the front deck as the Conservatory!. We are up negotiating the price of the galley re fit next week end and putting cheerful red tiles round the fire in place of the depressing grey marble things.
My ideal would be to have a total refit from in front of the engine room to the front deck but as I only won £4.80 on the Euromillions it may have to be done more slowly.

I am sure when we are cruising in the summer and in years to come with my future grand children ( one due in July) I will not regret having spent the pension savings !!!!

How do all you lot with pram hoods fit under the bridges? Don't they get caught up or ripped off? Surely it is a real faff putting them up and down all the time? Just wondering.