ATTN: Stratos 176XT owners..

[Sike-1]

Im looking to buy a boat, and this boat seems to be the one.

How have they treated yo so far?

Is their anything i should upgrade @ time of purchase?

Any issues i should keep my eyes out for?

Thanks alot folks.

[VOL-FISHER]

I dont own one, but fish some out of a buddy's when we are prefishing or fishing smaller lakes. He has a 75 etec on his and I tell you it is a great fishing platform. Holeshot is excellent. He did recently upgrade to a SS prop, and it gained about 4 mph on top end, holeshot is about the same. As far as fishing upgrades, the only thing I can think of would be go with a 24 volt trolling motor. The MK is nice, but just does not have the power it needs in the wind or when putting on high to go to the next hole. I have also heard him say he wished he would have got a on board charger, he went and bought an after market 3 bank. He added a third battery to run all of his blacklights and electronics from and also to have as a backup. I really think the center rod storage is excellent. Oh, one more thing. Not sure how much you tournament fish, but you might consider putting another livewell pump in it. It has a big livewell and we dont think the pump in it is that strong to turnover the water quick enough. Personally I would also like to have a hot foot and pro trim added at wheel for safety reasons, I like to have eyes looking forward and both hands on the wheel!

Good luck, I think you will love it!!

[Sike-1]

Awesome news. I didnt think they made fiberglass boats in this pricerange, so when i found it, i knew it was THE boat for me. Watching the videos on it, and how stable it is, just completely sold me. I agree, the center rodrack does look incredible. I was thinking of adding an oxygenator with the boat as well as a few new batteries. Im not into tourney fishing yet, so im sure the trolling motor will be sufficient for now, but will definately keep that im mind.

thank you!

[Sike-1]

Anybody here own one?

[F150owner]

Bryan,

I don't own one, but the 176XT and 186XT are fine boats. Last August, I got to see the 186XT and got to be one of the first to ride in it before it rolled out to dealers. The 176XT/186XT are targeted at the folks who were considering an aluminum boat (e.g. Bass Tracker 175) and who don't want or need all the frills of a deep V bass boat with a much larger power plant. They're also targeted at the fisherman who doesn't want a flat-out, water boiling bass boat but who simply want to go fishing and have a reliable and affordable glass boat.

I know Todd at C&O sells a lot of them, but since they've been on the market for what? three years now? only one has been traded back to C&O and it was toward a larger Stratos boat. This is very positive for the statement it makes on how much the owners love them and hold on to them. If they just didn't meet the needs, you'd see alot more of them for sale as used.

The hulls are more of a skiff type hull vs. a deep V bass boat hull. What that means is that these Stratos hulls (176/186) are more efficient with lower hp engines than competitors' rigs. Stratos was the first to come out with an affordable all glass boat that is directly targeted at the aluminum segment. There's not any comparison to competitors (except for the aluminum rigs) in this market niche. The boats aren't speed demons, but the buyers generally aren't looking for that in these boats.

The build is typical Stratos. You get the same glass matting, gel coat, and components that are included in the larger (and more expensive) Stratos bass boats. Storage is very good and the boat seems very stable and sturdy on the water due to the hull design. The decks are very large in comparison which is a big plus.

I think some choose to upgrade to a 24v setup, although I believe the 12v would be fine but it depends on where and how you fish. Another battery can be added but it requires some rearranging of the battery/oil compartment, but definitely do-able. I'd add a graph at the bow but some choose to do that later.

If you're interested in seeing different color choices, etc. here's a link to C&O's Stratos page. http://www.candomarine.com/Page336.htm

All that verbiage to say. . . . I think you'll be very happy with the 176XT.

[Sike-1]

Great reviews guys!

Im definately grabbing this boat, wether i win it in this contest im in, or i have to lease it.

Execellent posts.

Thank you a bunch.

[F150owner]

Well, today I had a chance to run both the 176XT w/Yamaha 50 carb and a 186XT w/Yamaha 115 FS. C&O had an "on the water" boat show at Nashville Shores today. Jason Phillips, his son, and I took the 176XT out to see what she would do. The wind was up and water was getting rough due to some storms coming in the from the west, but considering everything, the boat rode pretty good.

The 186xT w/FS 115 Yamaha did excellent. I'm changing my mind on these new four strokes, especially the Yamaha. Acceleration was very good and the engine had immediate response. Holeshot was quick. It was very quiet. Shifting was easy with no "gear grinding" like we hear on our Merc and Yammy 2 strokes. Todd told me not to take it out, that I'd get spoiled.

The 176XT and 186XT do very well up close to docks when you're maneuvering in very tight spots. I put the 186XT in a parking spot long ways along the dock between two run-abouts, which I could never do with any other boat.

Anyway, I wanted to post that I finally got a ride in a 176XT!!

[Jackpot19]

I purchased my Stratos 176XT last September. It has a 70 Yamaha TLR 2-stroke and the standard MinnKota 12v trolling motor. I had problems with the engine dying out and not being able to get the RPM's up at all. It would at times just bog down. I had to take it back a couple of times but they then added the 10 micron gas filter and it has been running smooth ever since. As others have told you, move up to a 24v trolling motor. The 12v does not have the power to move the boat in a windy environment. I'm not a tournament angler but I want to fish in certain areas and this TM does not do it for me. Do yourself a favor and get the 24v TM. Otherwise the boat handles well and is fast enough for me. The front deck is huge and it is a pleasure to fish from. My wife likes to come along with me and when she is tired of fishing, she lays out across the 3 seats and takes a nap. The wife is happy so I am happy. I know you will enjoy the boat.

[Sike-1]

How much does it cost to change over the entire electrical system for a trolling motor?

Ive heard this enough to have them do it when i order.

[F150owner]

You will need a 24v trolling motor and two deep cycle batt'ries. The only device on the two battery config will be the trolling motor. Everything else will run off the starter battery (e.g. lights, graphs, livewells, engine starter).

Your dealer may have to do this upgrade for you as I'm not sure this is a factory option. Check with your dealer to find out more on costs. The additional battery will add some weight to the rear but it may be worth it considering the feedback you've gotten on this thread.

[strick9]

I am in my second season with my 176XT and I absolutly love it!!!! Very solid construction and nice fit to everything. I have the 70hp 2 stroke Yamaha and it is great. It does 40 with just me and all my equipment which is plenty for my needs. The 40lb trolling motor is ok and works great but as others have stated in very windy conditions it's not quite enough. Even if you don't upgrade to a 24 volt system a bigger 12 volt TM would be a nice upgrade. I like what I'm hearing about a recessed trolling motor foot pedal on this boat, that is something I would love to have!!!!! I would highly recomend this boat, it is a fabulous fishing platform at a very good price.

[Sinker]

I've had my 176 for about a month so I cant give a whole lot of feed back yet. The best thing I see so far is the stability of the boat. When I'm just trollin around and fishing off both sides and front to back the boat barely rocks. Hope this helps.

[jdesersa]

I installed a COMFORTROLL recessed pedal in my 2007 176XT and it has worked out great so far. The place that sold me the tray showed me how to reinforce the deck so it stays rock solid, It took me about 3 hours total install time, most of it spent on reinforcing the deck. EZ install but the hardest part was getting up the nerve to cut a big hole in the deck of my new boat. Happy to give details on the install.

[BBCJUNKIE]

A dealer should be able to put a 24V system in for about $400-500 that would include the extra battery & holder, trolling motor upgrade and wiring.

[skinnywater]

Sike,

I'll chime in as a new 186 owner.

I have had mine out a couple of times now, and love it. I would say the stability is one of the strongest points. I have a buddy that I fish with in a G3. Nice tin boat, but we really do the bounce when moving around.

Now, even with my 8 year old moving around the boat, we don't have any trouble at all. Enough storage and equipment for my first boat. I would recommend upgrading the TM though. I did, as well as a few other things. Adds a little to the initial cost, but I am satisfied, it's worth every dime.

I posted pictures back a few days ago, if you want to go see. If you would like a shot of the battery compartment, with the extra battery, I can post that also.

Good luck, and I would say go for it, you won't regret it.

[Neilslure]

I have seen a few 176s on the lake, seem to run fairly well. Agree with several others, spend a few extra dollars for a bigger TM. Better to have too much power than not enough.

[strick9]

jdesersa, I would be very interested in details on how you rienforced your deck to install the comfortroll!!!! I was told by Stratos not to install something like this without the rienforcement so if I could do it that would be awesome!!!

[Jackpot19]

Can you still store a 7' rod in the rod locker with the recessed TM pedal?