Stratos 176XT

[norcal bass]

I am considering a Stratos 176XT with a 75 Etec or 75 Opti. Just wondering what peoples' thoughts are regarding this boat. I did a test run this week in one with a 60 Etec. I was actually very impressed ... gets right on plane and did an easy 38 mph (speedo). It handled great and is very stable for being so small. Definitely better than any comparable aluminum package I've looked at.

[Kenneth ALBassr]

You answered your own question as well as I could have.

Now, you just need to decide what color.

Kenneth

[Neilslure]

Looks like a decent little boat, not for me but they will be good for the Entry level boaters and crappie fishermen.

[Dover]

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Neilslure &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote"> good for the Entry level boaters and crappie fishermen.</TD></TR></TABLE>


Come 'mon Neilslure ----- you make it sound like he might need some cane poles and bobbers too so he can fish for some gills Those 6-7 lbers at Harris never cared I was in a 17ft boat ....... I'm just ribbing you "One man's house is another man's castle" ...

[Jason Phillips]

Neil,

I know you are going to a show this weekend, so be sure to look close at the 176xt. Don't compare it to a 201 or 200, look at it for what it is.

NorCal,

That was the most popular boat we had at the show last weekend. It is a full featured bass boat. It is 17'6" long with an 85" beam. You have a ton of storage in that boat. One compartment on each side up front. A large rod locker in the middle with a 12 rod organizer. A storage compartment under the middle seat large enough to put your two lifejackets in. Storage behind the driver and passenger seat. A huge divided livewell that you can remove the divider on.

It comes with an on-board charger, a full featured dash, and a 23 gallon gas tank. With a 50, 60, or 75 hp motor, do you realize how far you can go on 23 gallons of gas? And, you can pick one up with a 50 Yamaha for $12,995!

That boat is all that 90% of the fishermen in this country really need. It may not be what we want, but it is all we need. I had a guy walk up with a G3 brochure Saturday. He started looking at it and when I got through going over it with him he asked if he could leave his G3 brochure with me and take the Stratos brochure.

[norcal bass]

Jason -

Thanks for the info on the boat. I am in agreement with you that it is plenty for 90% of the fishermen out there. I co-own a 92 Ranger with my old man, but of course it's in his garage and he pays the insurance and registration. He also lives 4 hours away. I want my own rig but need to keep the cost down. I also don't have a lot of storage space, so the small size is critical. And most used boats I've looked at are too big and too thrashed. I want a clean burning engine too ... although our 92 Ranger with a 175 Merc Black Max screams, I am not a huge fan of the blue smoke.

I also checked the G3's ... really expensive. The 16'-5" version with a 60 Yamaha 4 was like $19K out the door (yeah ... things are overpriced in CA and I had a few nice options included, but it still is way too high for an aluminum boat).

[Jason Phillips]

Since you mentioned space, the Stratos 176xt also has a swing away tongue on the trailer.

[claypool72]

It looks liike a nice boat. I sat in one and was suprised how nice the seats feel. If you compare it to boats in its class (g3, lowe, tracker, express etc....) it is the way to go. I would consider going with a maxxum 55 instead of the standard 46#tm....depending on how you fish you might want to upgrade to a 24 volt tm. My only concern is with a 75 optimax you are getting up there in price close to a 275.....The fact that the boat has straps for box openers is a little bit cheesy but for the money what do you expect......I think we will see alot of these boats on the water in the future.......easy to tow, easy on the gas and can still catch as many fish as a 20 footer with a 200 hp engine!

Les

[Jason Phillips]

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by claypool72 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">The fact that the boat has straps for box openers is a little bit cheesy but for the money what do you expect......
Les</TD></TR></TABLE>

Les,

Look at a new Champion or a new Legend. Those are $40-$50K boats and they use the straps to open the lids. A lot of boats are going to this. It creates a smoother deck which doesn't have the latch 'rings' that you have to worry about getting straight and/or sticking up and grabbing a rod tip or something. I questioned them the first time I saw them on a boat but the more I'm around them the more I like them.

[claypool72]

Jason,
what keeps them from coming open other than locking them....that would be my only concern...you're probably right just something i would eventually get used to

Les

[Jason Phillips]

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by claypool72 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Jason,
what keeps them from coming open other than locking them....that would be my only concern...you're probably right just something i would eventually get used to

Les</TD></TR></TABLE>

That is seriously a question that I don't have an answer for. The lids are tight enough together that you really have to pull on them to get them open. The lids fit tight.

I know that on all of the boats that I've had I never turned the latches to lock them when I was fishing. I'd turn the latch where they were opened and just leave them. It saved me a second or two every time I opened a box to get something. I never had an issue with any of my lids coming open.

There aren't any lids except for the livewell that faces forward. The ones that face to the side or back wouldn't be an issue anyway. The only concern should be if you hit really rough water causing one to pop open but I just don't see that happening either. I know that's not a scientific answer to your question but it's the best I've got.

[F150owner]

The 176XT is an extremely nice price-point boat targeted directly at the aluminum Tracker Marine 175 and the aluminum boat segment. The standard equipment on the 176XT is very adequate for the boat.

We had a 176XT at the show last weekend and got lots of positive comments. Folks are just now seeing this boat in person and learning about it.

[claypool72]

jason,
i'm with you..i never turn mine either.....i used to have a 1995 201...if the latches weren't turned on the cooler and livewell lids they would come up when i hit some rough stuff.....but the other ones were fine not turned.....

thanks,
Les

[Jason Phillips]

The cooler probably did that because it was a carpeted lid surrounded by fiberglass (if you're talking about the one built into the step up). That makes it slicker and I don't think that lid even had a latch on it did it? The livewells I'm not sure of. Usually when you have carpet closing against carpet they are MUCH less likely to come open. Maybe the carpet had worn down over the years (if it was a used boat when you got it) and the lids weren't as tight.