Since you mentioned price I will say this. Unless you are ONLY fishing 2,000 acre lakes or less AND do not take much tackle I would look for a used boat of at least 18ft 6 inches. Small boats are nice at times, but 99% of the time a 18-19fter will be WAY better. I would think you could find a 2005 to 2008 518 or 519 for around the same as the 177. I still remember buying my first NEW boat. I knew my price range and I just HAD to have a new boat, no used would do. I got a 1999 Javelin R19 which was a nice boat, but a couple years after I got it I would see 20fters that were a few years older than mine and I sure wish I would have went the used route and got the bigger boat (my home lake is Sam Rayburn). I got a "new" boat last year and bought a 1997 ranger. Its older than the jav but much bigger and is night and day a better boat.