honest opinions please!

[buzzzzbait88]

I had an 09 ZX225 and loved it, but sold it a few years back. Looking to get into another glass rig and have been looking for an 09ish zx225, but I'm interested in an 08 200 proxl. I've always thought the 200 proxl was awesome. A 19ftr with 225hp rating that would fly. My concern is that its 12hrs away and I don't really have any experience with stratos boats. I'm hoping for some honest opinions from the folks who have had experience in both. I've heard all the rumors about stratos being cheap and the finish not being great, but I've also heard the newer ones are much better . I just don't want to drive 12hrs and be disappointed when I get there, but the stratos is considerably cheaper than any of the skeeters I've seen around the same year. That allows me to put my extra money towards electronics, since most of these older boats aren't decked out like the newer ones.

[Mark Perry]

One thing to consider is part availability on the Stratos should you need anything. Not talking accessorie stuff that is used on all brands I mean Stratos OEM stuff.

[utinator]

The 200XL is a 20 ft. boat. It is still fast though. I don't like the short and narrow front decks.

[buzzzzbait88]

The 200XL is a 20 ft. boat. It is still fast though. I don't like the short and narrow front decks.

I was curious about the decks as well, I thought maybe they would be alittle narrower than the skeeter, but I thought the 2007-2009 skeeter front decks that fit in my price range weren't near as wide as the newer ones also. I'd like to see a comparison of deck size on the 2, but might be hard to come by being both older boats. Definitely seems like the stratos has the consoles shifted farther forward then the skeeter.

[waknbass]

IMO stratos was a cheap boat that I never cared for. I sort of thought of them as a nitro.

[Boat4Life]

Go with the Skeeter in this case because you liked your last one and resale will probably be better too.

Nothing cheap about Stratos or Nitro....

[Neilslure]

The 2008 200XL will not be rigged near the same as the Skeeter. Starting in 2007 they went from the 200 Pro XL which was a nice loaded tournament rig to the 200XL which they stripped alot of features out and cut some corners to keep the pricing low... I probably would have bought one in 2008 had it still been rigged like the 2006s I owned a 2003 Stratos 18XL for 5 years and it was a good boat, did have alot of stress cracks though, mostly in the corners. My Skeeter is 11.5 years old now and been fished hard, it has a few small cracks in places but has held up very well considering what it has been through.

[krindgen]

One thing to consider is part availability on the Stratos should you need anything. Not talking accessorie stuff that is used on all brands I mean Stratos OEM stuff.

I would also think of the next guy that wants to buy this boat thinking about Stratos part availability. There are plenty of 225/19ft boats out there.

[champ210]

I always thought Stratos boats fished extremely small, no room. Even there 21 ft models felt like skeeters zx185. I'd let my 09 zx225 go. PM me

[buzzzzbait88]

I always thought Stratos boats fished extremely small, no room. Even there 21 ft models felt like skeeters zx185. I'd let my 09 zx225 go. PM me

PM sent! Willing to hear any offers for 2007-2010 zx225s that are out there. Dual console