I agree with the recommendations of an 8 inch dob. I would add a telrad or quikfinder:
http://www.bintel.com.au/Accessories...oductview.aspx
I think they are much easier to use and align than an optical finder. They are easy to add to the scope later as they just stick on with double sided tape.
When I was a beginner I found aiming the scope to be a real pain. A telrad made a big difference. The quikfinder is the the same idea, just a bit smaller and lighter.
Rod.