I think you have a point, Chas, but I don't think it's only the wives who are seduced by the home comforts! I also think the tradition for cramped engine installations dates from the time when yachts had graceful narrow sterns, and there simply wasn't room for easy access. Builders put the engine in at a very early stage of construction (probably before the "lid" was bonded in place) and left the poor owner to wonder what to do when it came to taking the thing out, as almost inevitably has to happen eventually.
Some boat builders have become more considerate in terms of putting in inspection panels all round the engine, now that sterns are wider, but David is right about cramming in the shower etc. Some builders are also now putting in removable headlinings, so it is possible to replace worn out deck gear without wrecking the entire interior of the boat. But such practicalities seem to be depressingly low on the order of priorities.
My particular hate (apart from engine access etc) is the minimal amount of stowage included in many of these "spacious" modern designs. I have sailed on a cruiser/racer (maybe the other way round) where there was not room to put even a small jar of coffee anywhere in the galley, although it all looked incredibly flash!
People who have owned a number of boats, gradually progressing up the size range, as used to be the norm, are not so easily fooled, because they know what they are looking for - to suit their own sailing style and requirements - when it comes to choosing the next one. But I think a lot of the people who are currently buying their first boat in the 40-plus foot range may be making some fairly ill-advised choices.
They are not well served by some of the magazine reviews, which seem to devote a lot more space to the "luxury" interior than how well the thing sails, or whether there is anywhere to stow a family's kit and provisions for a fortnight's holiday, or indeed whether it is possible to get at the back of the engine!
