As Shawn pointed out, rear compartment access is relatively easy. You can also put a hatch in the forward bulkhead, but actually getting things in and out through the cockpit is going to be a major pain, not to mention the chore of fitting lots of gear through a small hole. Additionally, it's a good idea to take up extra space with float bags or dry bags so your gear doesn't move around. This is going to be very difficult to do through a bulkhead in the bow. Commercial boats such as Mariners - which don't come with forward bulkheads - have small deck hatches to make loading and unloading easier. Even some folding boats have these "load assist" hatches.

I'd say that the bottom line is that if you want to use the bow for storage for "extended trips" as you indicate, either leave out the forward bulkhead entirely or put a hatch on the foredeck. It will make your life a lot easier. It doesn't make sense to me to compromise the utility of your boat to this extent, simply for aesthetic reasons. Besides, it gives you an excuse to build yourself "day boat", which won't need hatches.