I've gotta say that I'm definitely a fan of flush foredecks, such as in this design. They make for a handy spot to put a hard
dinghy. Not to mention being much easier to
work on than climbing around on top of coach houses. Plus, having forward facing windows on the coach house, as in this design, makes for great visibility. Both at
anchor, & when underway. So that one needn't always go on deck to do a cursory check of things, or for some types of navigating. Plus it makes it simple to lead the chain aft to a more central location, so as to get it out of the bow.
Such designs also have the perk of allowing some of the tankage to be put underneath of the
cabin sole, in the part of the boat underneath of that aft coach house. And to be able to do so without giving up proper
headroom inside. Quite the opposite really, as when done correctly, they raise one's height of eye up enough so that it's easy to see 360 degrees while standing inside of the cabin. So some of the older designs definitely had things right in this regard.
For fresh water tanks, I'm a fan of placing them underneath of a pair of pilot berths in boats of this size. You can fit ones which are 80gal+/- into a reasonable amount of space on each side. And in addition to giving you lots of water tankage capacity, they contribute greatly to a boat's stability. To the point where one can make the keel a bit shallower
draft, or lighter, while still maintaining good righting moment. And extra Rm is quite handy in a boat designed to be a powerful sail carrier, as you stated in one of the initial posts on her in this thread.
Though when it comes to adding extra stability, I'm a fan of
delta bulbs on fin keels. They put a lot of weight down low, while giving the boat a good flat surface on which to dry out. Are pretty hydrodynamically efficient when done right, & are fairly easy to construct, while leaving room to use the fin as a
fuel tank.
I look forward to seeing how this boat evolves, & what she'll
wind up looking like when she's "done". And it's always fun to watch a CNC laser do it's thing when it's plate cutting time. They're fun toys!
Edit: On the layout. Might it be possible to convert one of the aft cabins into a room with a dedicated
work bench, including a vise. Along with built in shelves to provide for
storage underneath. With stowed items to be organized in plastic bins (with lids), & milk crates, etc. Along with an oilskins locker with a built in dryer (from the engine).
Plus some dedicated
storage for
sails, spare running
rigging, & an inflatible plus it's OB. I should think that with some proper racks, shelves, & bins, such a room would be invaluable in a cruiser. As other than in a
charter boat, a 3rd stateroom is a bit unnecessary, & the space can be put to better use.
And before you ask, yes, I'm jealous of Skip Novak's setup in his boat Pelagic