Need Advice from the community

I have a 18ft harbercraft. Nice stable boat. if you can find a boat similar with a more 'forward' windshield it leaves a lot more room in the back for trolling. I've fished with four guys and its doable in smaller type boat.
 
Legend makes a good boat for the price. I purchased the 18ft extreme in 2015 with a 115hp. Boat works great for Erie. Avg 50-70 fishing trips per year and haven't had a drop of water yet. Previously owned a 18ft 2004 Triton walleye boat and I can honestly say the legend boat handles the Great Lakes much better then the Triton.
 
I also had a Lund Alaskan 18'9 with a 90 opti - fished Erie and Ontario frequently. Great rig all around.
 
Echo the Legend. Xtereme Marine is also a sit sponsor. I bought a new 20xcalibur 2 years ago. I wouldn't personally go smaller than 18' for Erie. It would be a nice boat, and super easy to trailer. If Erie is your number one choice, don't under power the boat. With a 18', minimum 90hp, but probably go for 115.
 
The best thing you could do is go to a pile of boat shows, ask a lot of questions and see what shoe fits you the most comfortably.

My two cents would be, buy the highest HP rated for it & buy in Jan/Feb for the best deals and rebates.
 
Boat shows will be your best friend. As EV said "ask a lot of questions and see what shoe fits you the most comfortably". What hits the mark for one person means nothing for the next. I looked at probably a couple of hundred different boats (manufacturers and models) over the 2 year "wondering if I should" stage before I bought my Legend 20 Xcaliber. A buddy who was looking and bought during the same time swears by his new Lund. We both saw most of the same boats and both are very happy with our choice. Just different features appealed to each of us. But keep good notes when you are looking as they will all look the same after the first dozen or so.

I would also echo the recommendation of most others here, go for the largest power the boat can support within your budget. If the salesperson says a 90HP is good, go for the 115 or 150. While most won't intentionally steer you in the wrong direction, they are trying to keep their pricing competitive and may recommend a power system that just gets you by. I made this mistake and went with the recommendation when I bought my Legend. While the 115 on my 20 was fine for the average use and had good performance overall, I have ended up moving to the 150 for more overall performance. Had I done so when I bought the boat it would have cost much less. Live and learn.
 
My next boat choice will be a starcraft fishmaster 196 or 210 big roomy boats with high backends .Most people that buy them keep them ,hard to find a used one.
 
I wanted to thank you all for the replies and advice. After much online research and price comparison I found my boat at the London show. I listened to the advice and went with the Lund. Got a 1650 rebel xs at a price not terribly above my budget. Outfitted well for the fishing I want to do. Should work on Erie and smaller lakes. I would have liked a bigger boat but went for the proven brand instead of a lesser bigger boat. Time will tell if my decision was a good one. Look for me on the lake with my black beauty and if you can share as many tips on good fishing locations as you all provided for boat purchases I will be a lucky man.
 
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