after you get over the sticker shock, it would make a fine canoe for BW/Q trips - a bit more of an all around canoe than many boats designed more specifically for lake travel line the MNII.  the weight isn't bad at all for a 17' boat - you'd have to get a skin coat ultralignt to do much better.

wood does generally require more maintenance, but if your willing to put up with that, shouldn't be a big deal (I'd assume you would store a $3500 canoe in your garage and not outside)

the center depth is fine - lots of canoes are in that range, or even under a foot;  it more or less don't matter - the flare in the bow, and the rocker in this case, are what gives the boat its sea worthiness

orderig one ?  if you will be picking one up at a dealer, no sweat; but I'd have some worries about having one shipped unless the factory crates it for you in a crate that would stand up to a forklift - most certainly, if its shipped do a very thorough inspection before you accept the shipment from a trucking firm.  an outfit called KAS Transport does nothing but deliver canoes around the country - I'd use them over a commercial trucking outfit