Paradox Pete

I'd build my own. Plenty of cheap designs around. You need to identify what you want to use it for and pick a suitable design. Inflatables would not feature in any of my lists! Here's a selection of different home built boats (HBB) on our annual pilgrimage, down the Thames from Lechlade, to the Beale Park Boat Show (which incidentally is a great place to look and try a variety of small boats)

This is lovely http://rugbyboats.co.uk/listings/tug-style-narrowboat/ It's almost perfect for me other than: Too dark too much wood The diesel stove Pump out toilet, cross bed the PRICE Otherwise it's perfect

I've never done WCW but plenty of Chepstow Menai Chepstows! Longest tow path ride would be Doctor Fosters taking in River Wye path, Monmouth-Brecon Canal Towpath and Glos- Sharpness Tow path, plus lots of rough stuff between Newport and Chepstow. That was 210Kms and I'd say over half is rough and muddy. It's not something I'd do every day (or about 9 hours as is this case). It just reminds me why I don't cycle any distance on towpaths

It will be a bonus if any of them are residential

Plenty of little residential side streets just off the Bristol Road , south of the docks. Somewhere like Robinson Road https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.8534808,-2.2469999,3a,90y,117.05h,69.33t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s-si8QyCbG26OL-WGtuLP2w!2e0!7i13312!8i6656 I'd be happy to "merge in" with the residents for a few days.

Indeed, Still shopping around for my boat, but one thing it must have, is a cassette toilet that can be removed and replaced with either a Nature's head or Airhead. Life is just so much simpler with a composter :-) I have no wish to carry around sewage effluent! I know....

This! Some nice shots of my local marina here: Pete