I'm in search of a boat that has enough room to live and work and sleep on for an extended period of time. I'm going to end up starting on the Cumberland/Ohio River loop and eventually loop back around and I'm looking for suggestions of what I should be looking for
welcome aboard
a boat with enough room to live/work/sleep will be larger than you are estimating. there is also the 2-3 hours of having the boat hauled. so are you looking for a trailerable boat or one needing a permit to be hauled? a proper boat will have a berth, shower, head, radar, GPS, Sonar, etc.
how handy are you? are you looking for a project boat or turn-key and go kind of boat? a project boat will cost you less initially, however may cost you more in the long run.
as Racerone eluded to, have you estimated fuel costs? express cruisers in the 20-25 foot range get about 2 MPG on a good day and 1/2 MPG when under load. the "little loop" you are mentioning is about 1050 miles at best, assume 1000 gallons of fuel will be consumed (you may only need 500). with marina prices over $5/gallon. plan accordingly
quimbyscruisingguide.com