My New (Old) Stratos Boat (Pic Heavy) 2024

ak47soulja22 reply :

I bought this 1996 Stratos 201 pro xl with a 225 Johnson venom a few weeks ago. I can't wait to get it out on the water and catch some fish. This is my 2ed boat 1st boat was a 11'11" jon boat with a 35pound trolling motor. Its an upgrade.

tomustang reply :

Upgrade indeed. Enjoy your new toy

FishinCop646 reply :

I just went from a 15' 15hp to an 18' 150hp. You will love it!

Koofy Smacker reply :

That thing looks awfully clean for a '96! Congrats!

5dollarsplash reply :

On 3/26/2014 at 3:06 AM, Koofy Smacker said:
That thing looks awfully clean for a '96! Congrats!

This.

Heck of a find! Enjoy it!

WIGuide reply :

Congrats on the upgrade man! just be careful and don't kill yourself with it lol. That's got a bit more speed behind it than that 35 lb thrust trolling motor.

ak47soulja22 reply :

Thank you all for the nice words. It's pretty clean for the age.

And yeah the new trolling motor is 70 pounds. So yeah I wll be taking her easy. The whole trolling motor standing up is going to be very new to me.

Also, with fishing trolling motor lakes only can anyone give any tips on loading and off loading?

FishinCop646 reply :

Back your trailer in a little further and use the trolling motor to get a good head of steam, lifting it just before the trailer. You should get it on far enough to winch it the rest of the way!

ak47soulja22 reply :

On 3/26/2014 at 4:13 AM, FishinCop646 said:
Back your trailer in a little further and use the trolling motor to get a good head of steam, lifting it just before the trailer. You should get it on far enough to winch it the rest of the way!

Thanks for the advice.

Now what about lakes that have no loading docks? The boat Dosent have a keel guard on it.

Siebert Outdoors reply :

Wow. Nice find

FishinCop646 reply :

Get a keel guard!

Catt reply :

Sweet!

You'll like the Stratos ride

tnriverluver reply :

If you've never had a boat like this please get someone that knows how to teach you how to drive it. It is not quite the same as an 11ft jon boat.

kwhorne19 reply :

On 3/26/2014 at 4:18 AM, ak47soulja22 said:

Thanks for the advice.

Now what about lakes that have no loading docks? The boat Dosent have a keel guard on it.

Don't stress about it - you bought that thing to fish not to win a beauty contest - or get a keel guard... or power poles... or a friend to hold the boat for you

WIGuide reply :

On 3/26/2014 at 3:36 AM, ak47soulja22 said:

Thank you all for the nice words. It's pretty clean for the age.

And yeah the new trolling motor is 70 pounds. So yeah I wll be taking her easy. The whole trolling motor standing up is going to be very new to me.

Also, with fishing trolling motor lakes only can anyone give any tips on loading and off loading?

Haha yeah tm wise it'll be different but you'll adjust pretty quick I think. I was referring to driving it around though. There's a lot of speed in a boat like that and going out flying around can be dangerous especially if you aren't used to it. (assuming you will be fishing some non tm only lakes as well)

For loading and unloading it's pretty easy. Give yourself a running start with your tm pick it up before you get to the trailer and let it coast up as far as it will go. Step off on the trailer frame clip it and crank it up. Off loading is even easier, step on the trailer tongue un- clip and push off. Or if there's two people just have them back you in with it un-clipped and you'll just float off.

A keep protector is a great investment. If the area is sandy it won't hurt it much to pull it up on the sand.

ak47soulja22 reply :

I believe I will be taking a boater course, not because I have to because I want too.

Now with the DIY keel guards are all made equal or does one stand out more than the other. I might make another thread to maybe get more input. I searched the forums and didnt find much other than getting one was a very good idea.

Way2slow reply :

You will love the boat, other than feeding that motor, they do luv gas, and pushing a that heavy 201 hull, it will really luv the gas. Take it out, run it a few times at Wide Open Throttle (WOT) and get it out of your system. Then keep it around 4,500 rpm, limit the running and gunning and learn to fish an area, and you will be much happier with the cost of a days fishing trip. Basically, use it like you did your little boat where you didn't have the capability to run just anywhere and everywhere you took a notion.

I'm not sure if they were doing it in 96, but if they were, that trailer is going to have one feature you are going to hate having to load it with the TM. If it has that little spring loaded arm in the front, it will be the most aggravating part about it.

tnriverluver reply :

I had a 93 201XL DC Stratos with a 200GT that ran 68-70 depending on how iI was loaded. The thing you have to watch out for and learn how to handle is chine walk. The Stratos can chine walk very bad if you are trimmed to high and get out of control in the blink of an eye if you don't know what you'er doing. It can literally throw you out of the boat when it gets bad. That is why I am strongly recommending you find someone to teach you the ropes of driving this boat.

ak47soulja22 reply :

On 3/27/2014 at 9:07 AM, tnriverluver said:
I had a 93 201XL DC Stratos with a 200GT that ran 68-70 depending on how iI was loaded. The thing you have to watch out for and learn how to handle is chine walk. The Stratos can chine walk very bad if you are trimmed to high and get out of control in the blink of an eye if you don't know what you'er doing. It can literally throw you out of the boat when it gets bad. That is why I am strongly recommending you find someone to teach you the ropes of driving this boat.

Thank you for the advice. I will take it I know a few guys that could help me learn the ropes. I ran it 3 times before I bought it. The owner did give me a basic lesson but not a full on. The good thing it has a hot foot and trim on the wheel.

I don't plan on having it WOT just to save the motors life.

tnriverluver reply :

On 3/27/2014 at 10:19 AM, ak47soulja22 said:

Thank you for the advice. I will take it I know a few guys that could help me learn the ropes. I ran it 3 times before I bought it. The owner did give me a basic lesson but not a full on. The good thing it has a hot foot and trim on the wheel.

I don't plan on having it WOT just to save the motors life.

Uh Huh LOL Once the go fast bug bites, and it will, that will change!

basseditor reply :

I had a '93 model 201 and I loved it. I wish I hadn't sold it. But I two boats at the same time and the 201 was easier to sell.

ak47soulja22 reply :

On 3/27/2014 at 12:49 PM, tnriverluver said:
Uh Huh LOL Once the go fast bug bites, and it will, that will change!

Hahaha when i test drove it the fastest I went was 53mph knowing that wasn't WOT but it was fast enough for me and that is really fast on the water. I like to fish to much just to go boating.

On 3/27/2014 at 12:58 PM, basseditor said:
I had a '93 model 201 and I loved it. I wish I hadn't sold it. But I two boats at the same time and the 201 was easier to sell.

201 easier to sell because others liked it, or because you were glad to see it go? I don't plan on selling it for a long time.

basseditor reply :

Quote
201 easier to sell because others liked it, or because you were glad to see it go? I don't plan on selling it for a long time.

More people liked it.

tnriverluver reply :

The 201 was probably the best boat I have ever owned out of about 30 and I miss everything about it except the fuel bill. I cannot afford to run a boat like that anymore with todays fuel prices. I didn't think anything about it back in tose days though and would sometimes have to refuel during the day. 50 gallons does not go a long ways with those big 2 smokes.

ak47soulja22 reply :

On 3/28/2014 at 8:11 AM, tnriverluver said:
The 201 was probably the best boat I have ever owned out of about 30 and I miss everything about it except the fuel bill. I cannot afford to run a boat like that anymore with todays fuel prices. I didn't think anything about it back in tose days though and would sometimes have to refuel during the day. 50 gallons does not go a long ways with those big 2 smokes.

On 3/28/2014 at 2:57 AM, basseditor said:
More people liked it.

Seeing that you both owned the same type, I have looked on the web to try to find out what the 2 metal caps??? are next to the fuel caps are? If your looking at the fuel caps they are on the right of them. What are those things, and I have been reading more about the gas tanks being a little problematic on receiving fuel, did you guys run into that issue at all?

basseditor reply :

On 3/29/2014 at 2:42 AM, ak47soulja22 said:
Seeing that you both owned the same type, I have looked on the web to try to find out what the 2 metal caps??? are next to the fuel caps are? If your looking at the fuel caps they are on the right of them. What are those things, and I have been reading more about the gas tanks being a little problematic on receiving fuel, did you guys run into that issue at all?

Those are the fuel vents. As you fill the tank, air comes out the vents.

And yes, sometimes filling the tanks is problematic with several brands of boats. I look at the slope of the pavement by the pump and try to have the slope going away frm the nozzle. Sometimes, you can turn nozzle upside down and don't put it all the way in the fill hose. These tricks let more air vent out better.

ak47soulja22 reply :

On 3/29/2014 at 2:50 AM, basseditor said:

Those are the fuel vents. As you fill the tank, air comes out the vents.

And yes, sometimes filling the tanks is problematic with several brands of boats. I look at the slope of the pavement by the pump and try to have the slope going away frm the nozzle. Sometimes, you can turn nozzle upside down and don't put it all the way in the fill hose. These tricks let more air vent out better.

Thanks that's what I have read about the turning the nozzle upside down. Is there a way to take them off and clean them off? I think I read some where were they vacuumed the vents? Sorry for all the questions, thanks for answers.

wpwarhawk reply :

Very nice, looks like a well kept boat.

basseditor reply :

On 3/29/2014 at 3:07 AM, ak47soulja22 said:
Thanks that's what I have read about the turning the nozzle upside down. Is there a way to take them off and clean them off? I think I read some where were they vacuumed the vents? Sorry for all the questions, thanks for answers.

I don't know about cleaning the vents. I guess it won't hurt.

479

My New (Old) Stratos Boat (Pic Heavy) 2024

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