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  1. #1
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    Dec 2016
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    Tavares, FL
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    The Future of Stratos??

    As a Stratos owner, I'm curious to see if anyone has heard what the future plans are for the Brand? From what I'm seeing no one is sure if its staying or going, sure would be a sad day if they went? Does anyone have any insight??

  2. Member
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Location
    Owensboro KY
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    679
    #2
    It's all up to Johnny Morris. He owns Ranger, Triton, Stratos & Nitro. All are major brands with a big following. Stratos has by far the smallest of any pro staff. I think Mike McClellin is the only pro I know of running one. They are well built boats but are competing against his bigger name brands in the same price class. My gut feeling is they won't be around for much longer. I feel that way because of the lack of pro staff & advertising dollars put toward Stratos in the last few years. We will all have to wait & see.

  3. Member
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    Nov 2008
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    Raleigh NC / Falls Lake
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    11,210
    #3
    Been with them from the start in the 80's .....but i don't think they are going to be around long . Hope i am wrong, what a good boat for the money .

  4. Member
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    Aug 2009
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    Kings Mtn., Kentucky
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    #4
    I hope they don't get phased out. Stratos is by far my favorite boat & the 294,200 & 201s are as good as it gets in my opinion. As long as I can find them in good shape it's pretty much all I'll run. I'd have to get a heck of a deal to buy anything else for sure.

  5. Member
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    Dec 2016
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    Tavares, FL
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    #5
    You guys are saying what ive been hearing...the days are numbered...

  6. BBC SPONSOR
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    Mar 2005
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    Independence, Kansas
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    #6
    I was going to order a brand new 201 with the G2, however the same thing was brought up by the salesman. Thats pretty sad when the salesman was not sure of them because he told me they are far superior boats for the money. I would love to get the real story from Johnny Morris but I am sure it all comes down to dollars and cents.
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  7. Born on th Llano Estacado Tx Champ's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Location
    Abilene, TX
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    20,809
    #7
    Personally, if you want a new Stratos, I would not let any speculation stop you. Tracker / Fishing Holdings will have to honor any warranty issues regardless of the brand status. Aside from the hull and trim items, everything else is provided by a 3rd party vendor, so post warranty, there are sources out there. If they are shut down and there is a warranty issue with the hull, they still have to address/replace it. May be a Nitro or Triton, but if that is what it took to honor the warranty, I bet it would happen. If Stratos was a single line family business, there might be some worry, but from a multi-line corporate standpoint, you are not in that bad of position, IMHO. The last Champions were built in 2010 and the 3 Elite hulls were re-badged under Stratos and carried through 2013. Used ones are not on the market very long before they are snatched up. I also wouldn't let the one Pro Staffer worry me. For years, it was just Larry Nixon. McClelland and Reese stayed with Fishing Holdings after the Champion shut down with Skeet going to Ranger and Mike to Stratos. Either could have gotten a ride elsewhere. I'm not familiar with the whole line, but the 201 is a fine rig ... I'd jump on one if that's what I wanted

  8. Member
    Join Date
    Sep 2016
    Location
    Louisville Ky
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    15,367
    #8
    Just throwing my uneducated .02 in. My first bass boat was a 2007 stratos 275 xl. Has been a great boat to fish out of and overall seemed good quality.

    I decided to upgrade and found a used 2000 stratos extreme 20 ss. I found it needing a good buffing / carpet / normal TLC for a boat of its vintage. After getting it home and a really up close look im not impressed. First off there are some odd stress cracks in bizarre places. Nothing I cant fix but still not in the typical corners where they show from normal boating stress. After taking off several panels to refinish I find parts that are drilled for say 3 or 4 screws but only find 2 or 3 installed. The worst lack of giving a sh#$ was the cockpit. I started pulling up the carpet in the floor of the cockpit and found where the top cap met I guess the hull. In order to smooth the transition they used what im pretty sure is nothing more than a typical bondo type substance. Ive worked in auto body work before and am pretty certain this is what it was. Bondo type substances are not suitable for a marine application. The crap is totally cracking and coming out in chunks.

    The only good thing is it will make it really easy for me to remove and replace with a proper fiberglass peanut butter material.

    As I said im a bass boat rookie but just my .02