Thanks all for your views.
I'm not looking for a live aboard (far from it!). I'm looking at a weekender now and again, lazy day trips, good scenery and off the beaten track pub lunches!
I am 'almost' decided on type of boat but it would be foolish to rule out "the other option" (WB) once the subject was raised by a colleague of mine.
Due dilligence (and all that) suggests various issues be considered, including - moorings, distance from house to boat, scenery, running costs, maintenance etc etc.
Some of you have now helped me with some of those issues - thank you.
I'm almost there with my choice but every time I see the inside of a WB - I 'wobble' - there is so much space and light and freedom compared to a "sewer tube" (horrible connotation!).
Having looked at a lot of NB's now, there is so much sameness (dark and dingy spaces/shiney brown varnished plywood/tacky bathrooms) below say £45k....choices are extremely limited.
As mentioned above - you get what you pay for. (Frankly this 'sameness' doesn't seem to manifest itself in the WB world, so much (if at all).
Having poured over Northern and NW canals for widebeams this weekend it is becoming apparent there are restrictions in my operating area and that WB's may not meet most of my criteria (above)...shame really....I'd love one in theory.
Thanks again.