Hi mg,
In Britain, many boaters who travelled long distances on the canals actually had their family living with them in a small cabin at the back of the boat. It was as small a possible so as to not reduce the cargo carrying capacity too much. The presence of family members (mainly the wife) meant that a second man did not need to be employed and that there was no rent to pay on a house or cottage for the family left behind. These cost cutting considerations were essential when the railways started competing with the canals for cargoes.
I don't know anything about American canals and will be limiting my site to British and Irish ones for the moment.
Regards,
Ian