Guys, i heard threw the rumor boards today there may be some contingency plans comming our way for any one owning a Stratos boat. The rumors are flying high that there will be an anouncement made on the 15 of April at http://www.stratosboats.com. The details will be released then acording to the rumor mill. Just though any one out there thinking about buying a Stratos might look into this come April the 15th, we might find something nice.:beers
It would be nice for Stratos to step up with something for the guys running their rigs. I hope its comparable to Ranger, Triton & Skeeter contingency plans. Might help some of us make our minds up about which new rig we want to run.
It just sucks that they have a limit on age. My 95 looks awesome but doesn't qualify.
Tom, we dont know yet good buddy, hopefully we will know the details come April 15th.
my fingers are crossed! Ha!
How cool would it be to see a guy in an older model Stratos bringing home the ching-ching? I just think they need to involve ALL Stratos owners. Hope that happens
I was able to find two reports on this.....
We shall see what happens.......
Stratos Boats Set To Release ÂNew Program At Bassmaster Classic
by Don Zaegel on February 17th, 2008
For many Stratos Boat owners such as myself, we took a loss when Stratos yanked the Stratos Platinum Program out from under us. The Platinum Program offered Stratos Boat owners a chance at winning money back through contingency prizes with specific sanctioned events. The biggest being participation with the FLW.
When the Platinum Program was taken away, I immediately called Stratos to get an explanation. Without a straight answer, the best interpretation I could put together had to do with the fact that angler participation wasnÂt enough to offset the dedicated man hours they were allocating to run the program. That and the fact that Stratos didnÂt want to interfere with the circuit that Ranger boats has long had control over. Coincidentally, all of this after Stratos came under control of the same ownership as Ranger Boats.
There could however be good news on the horizon for Stratos owners. GettingReel.com has been told by a direct source with Stratos Boats that there is expected to be an announcement by Stratos at the Bassmaster Classic. The information was received after I got in touch with Stratos Boats to find out if there were any future plans to re-instate the Platinum Program. The response I received was, ÂTo hold on just a little while longerÂ. While no specific details on the program were given due to the anticipated announcement to be given this weekend, what is know by GettingReel.com is that the program will no longer be called the Platinum Program.
I will be attending the Classic this weekend and will have specific details after/if any announcement is given. Be sure to check back to get any updates.
Here is the next one -
I recently told readers about a new contingency payout plan that would go into effect for Stratos Boats owners. The plan was set to be released at the Bassmaster Classic over the past weekend. Instead it got finalized. The program details are now estimated to be released onto their website within a week as I am told by Dennis Tobin with Stratos Boats. After a few moments speaking with Dennis today, this is what he had to say,
ÂThe biggest issue we were trying to figure out was what to call it. The program is designed to pay back up to $10,000 for eligible events. The year models that will qualify for the event will run back 3 yrs. from the current year model. Example 2006-2009. All models will qualify including Fish n SkisÂ
As far as tournament participation thatÂs eligible for the program, the list is being created, hence the 1 week wait. What I do know is that because of Ranger being the sister company to Stratos, Participation within the FLW is unlikely. Dennis directly said, ÂThe program is not designed to compete with our sister company. Instead we are trying to go after our competitors.Â
It's up to 10K...........
I know all the details but will let Stratos announce it 4-15.
It's going to be very lucrative and there's no participation fees.
I was right. If this holds true, I won't qualify.
I'm not going out and spend $25K on a boat just to be eligible. Why wouldn't they include all models? Just curious
Hey Tom thinking about it from a business point this program is a bonus to sell new boats. If they included all year models then gus would not go out and trade every few years to get into the program. I am with you I just got a new one but I am not going to be one of the ones that go out and trade in every few years just to stay in that program. Its all about selling new units and if the new orogram gets guys to do that then the program will have done its job.
Now I am not saying that Stratos needs any help getting boats to sell. I don't think that at all. This will just be an incentive to try and get a few more out the door.
Is it really that great of a deal that guys will trade up to stay within the three year window?
I couldn't do it myself.
I'm not trying to be a jerk. Just asking questions. I love my boat!
i am excited about it. however i am real dissapointed like tom that they want go back further with the year model. Ranger does it as well as Skeeter as long you are the original boat owner. triton as well as a longer time frame to be eligible. They all have a fee involved but only around $20. i know it is about selling new boats but why want they have the idea of also keeping people with the stratos brand that already have one.
dont get me wrong i love my 201 and have nothing but great comments about it. but if i sold it today, i would probably go back to skeeter. i think they have the best program running if you dont fish the stren and flw series.
Why not just call it the platinum program? Alot of guys already have shirts and decals with that logo.
Skeeters Real Money program pays more to owners of late model rigs. Any year Skeeter powered by Yamaha is eligible to win something, just not as much as the guy with the newer boat.
.
Neil Eckberg- Cary, NC - 2008 Skeeter ZX250- 250 Yamaha SHO
Kerr Lake Ba$$hole
One of our local events (weekly) had the Skeeter Real Money on it all last year...not 1 person cashed a Skeeter check....there's a lot of restrictions.
Stratos will pay the same amount no matter whether you are in a 176 or a 201 and no matter the horsepower.
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Todd Morgan »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">One of our local events (weekly) had the Skeeter Real Money on it all last year...not 1 person cashed a Skeeter check....there's a lot of restrictions.
Stratos will pay the same amount no matter whether you are in a 176 or a 201 and no matter the horsepower.</TD></TR></TABLE>
But only in that 3 year range.
I'm just trying to.
I'm done posting on this. It's not going to make a difference. I'm letting it go now.
I agree Todd, Stratos has steped up to the plate this time, look out Skeeter here comes the Stratos guys at full throttle with cash in their pockets
I thought Skeeter's program was pretty straight forward. New, larger boats for the full $3,000.00 ($2,000.00 the following year). ANY boat (w/ Yamaha) for the $1,000.00. We averaged 2-3 qualified wins a year; during the Platinum program, we only got $500.00 a pop, with the Skeeter program, we got $3,000.00 a pop (if our boats were a little older, we'd still get $1,000.00 a win under Skeeter), and there were a lot more qualified tournaments.
I noticed down South, there were much better listings of qualified Platinum tournaments. Around here it was very limited. Skeeter covers just about everything around here (22 of the tournaments I'm fishing this year are Skeeter qualified tournaments, all within a 2 hour drive). I think, if this is a factor for some (it shouldn't be as most will never collect a check - buyers should choose a boat on the boat's merits, not contingency programs), people should see what is qualified in their region (and what they consequently fish) when comparing contingency programs.
Man thats a pi$$er!! My boat is an 05 with not a thing wrong with it. And 1 year out of the money!!! Why not go back 5 years??
I'm not posting on this anymore
The program is in place, the events are what's being added as we type about this.
Love it or hate it.....the purpose is to promote new sales. For the factory and the dealers.
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