Having learned to sail at a very young age in the Netherlands, and after regularly locking through mammoth locks (on sloops and cutters) between the Dutch rivers and the Zeeland delta in the presence of many of the "big boys", I assure you I would not embark on the Loop with its roughly 150 or so locks, without walk around decks. The larger locks on the Mississippi - Lock 26 here at Alton IL being the largest, if I am not mistaken - have only reinforced that position. Sooner or later, a line will drop short of its target - and rapid fore-aft mobility is precious. Toss in some backwash from a large push boat, and things can get hairy very quickly.
Soo... I want walk around decks, a LOW cockpit w a transom door with minimal elevation from the swim platform (for the dog, and for our rapidly aging legs), and a fore-aft cabin arrangement w 2 heads; Then enough space for at least one - preferably two comfortable chairs. It's fine if there are a couple of steps from the low cockpit to the higher side decks, I want doors on port and starboard into the pilothouse, and if I could get a small Portuguese bridge that would give me a "front yard" (might be nice for the dog, but is obviously not essential). My current challenge is to find that in as small of a boat as possible...
Albin 46 North Sea Cutter comes pretty close - DeFever 42, does not really meets the specs... Monk cockpit seems to be pretty high - Any others I have overlooked?
I started this thread because I struggled to find what I thought was looking for - in the process I have been the beneficiary of many comments that made me "go back to school", and since the thread was reactivated, also of many great thoughts, that have further expanded my horizons. Also, and more importantly, I have gotten to know new folks who share some of my passions for the water!