1. Cheap and used. You'll want a different boat in a couple of years anyway and you'll be able to sell an old, used one for basically what you paid for it.

2. Don't be afraid of glass. That doesn't mean "buy glass" but there is absolutely NO reason to worry about the durability of fiberglass. At the point where you punch a whole in it, you're already fooked.

3. Get a boat with oars you want or plan on spending another $500 to get the oars you want.