What do you love and hate about your Stratos bass boat?
Love/Hate about Stratos Boats
What do you love and hate about your Stratos bass boat?
I don't have a Stratos but I used to and I have owned it's brother for many years. Whats not to love other than no longer made?
2000 Javelin Renegade 20 DC.
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In 1944 18-20 year old's stormed beaches, and parachuted behind enemy lines to almost certain death.
In 2015 18-20 year old's need safe zones so people don't hurt their feelings. "Author Unknown"
In 2021 18-40 year old's want to and work to cancel you out if you have a different opinion.
I owned 3 since 93 and would like to have seen a more upscaled model. Better grade vinyl seating, gages, carpet, etc...
2012 Ranger Z519 Comanche - Merc. 225 Pro XS - 24 Razor 4 XL/25 Tempest Plus
Hate that they don't make them now!!
David Blanton
Anglers Choice Pro Staff
Stratos 201XLE
Tournament Director / Warriors on the Water
Love my old Stratos Pro Elite XL 285. I beat the shit out of it, and it just keeps going and going and going. I learned a lot about fiberglass repair simce I've knocked the trolling motor and about 8 inches of the bow off, and 3 feet of the Starboard upper aft side down and including the rub rail when I hit a post with a bolt through it.
The only thing I hate about my 295 PE is the rod locker. Too short to house my muskie rods.
Hate that they’re no longer made !
Love most everything about my 200, except for the fact you can't get parts anymore.
Did the post look at you funny? Why or how did you hit it this hard?Originally Posted by billnorman1
I guess its all aftermarket parts now...
Panels and shrouds are the biggest concerns. My shrouds are still in good shape. Panels, well, some have seen better days. AMP does have some good panel replacements for a few models, but the curved ones at the console would have to be custom fabricated.
Originally Posted by billnorman1
Love my old Stratos Pro Elite XL 285. I beat the shit out of it, and it just keeps going and going and going. I learned a lot about fiberglass repair simce I've knocked the trolling motor and about 8 inches of the bow off, and 3 feet of the Starboard upper aft side down and including the rub rail when I hit a post with a bolt through it.
Did the post look at you funny? Why or how did you hit it this hard?
I was in a small quarry when the tide went out. There was some water in the wood reinforced entryway. The sides are lined with wood, and the posts are on the outside, they are bolted together and long bolts about an inch in diameter stick out. Anyhow I figured I could get up on plane and get back in the main river. Well, there wasn't as much water as I thought, and the prop dug in and threw the boat sideways into one of the posts. The bolt went into the top cap at the bilge pump out port and continued all the way to the rear of the boat smashing the hull and rubrail in the process. It took me a couple of months in my spare time to repair the rub rail and the hull and top cap. It ain't pretty. My boat's a 40-40 boat. From 40 feet at 40 MPH it looks O.K.
Glad you were ok.
Mine is 08 201 model only thing i dont like is the nose drifts too much when waiting for take off. ive noticed ranger and skeeter does not do this. if its some what wendy i sit on troling motor long as posible to control the front
Love mine except as stated by others, rod locker to short. Considerring it's age boat still looks sharp and turns a lot of heads.
97 Stratos 288
175 Evenrude Intruder
Humminbird electronics
Garmin electronics
Fortrex112
2012 Ford Lariat 250
Too heavy, I think they could have made them lighter, to much weight in rear end. Also, when mine was made they were underpowered. Mine is a 1993 201 pro.
came with a 200 on it,
Mines an 05 and I just came over from a tin boat so I can’t complain about much. I would like a center rod locker possibly and I wish the front seat post was forward about 6”, it’s hard to lean on it and run the trolling motor in the wind.
I still love my 08 201 that I have had for over 10 years. It is a great boat that I have had in many different bodies of water from Michigan to Oklahoma to Tennessee. I've fished large lakes and rivers to small lakes and rivers. The hull has handled every situation very well, now some of that comes from using common sense in rough waters. I love the layout of the top cap and storage.
The only thing I changed when it was new was I added weather stripping around the cooler to keep the water from draining off the front deck into the cooler.
Brad Whitaker
whittyoutdoors.com --- Use code BBC5 at checkout for 5% off
Whitty Outdoors handmade crankbaits
08 Stratos 201XL 250 HO E-tec
05 Weld-Craft 1852 semi-v 115/80 Mercury jetdrive
Love the fact that back in 2000, Stratos refunded my money on the 2000 model year 20SS Extreme/225 Ficht because it "leaned" and would never plane out properly. OMC did a lot of folks wrong, but they did right by me.
BTW... the 201 hull is still one of the best ever.
Had an '89 285 that fished well. Had a desire for a 201 and figured I'd wait 'til retirement. Then my cousin went away from fishing and was moving his '95 201 so we swung a deal, figuring I'd still buy a new one when retiring.... Had no complaints on the 285 but wish the 201 had a wider rod locker like the 285 did. Like the amount of storage space.
Bummed when Stratos got bought into non-existence. Just retired and slowly starting to watch sales on "late-model" Stratos 201s. Not sure what I'm gonna do but the '95 is still plenty functional for now.
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