F/S boat for 30k or less.....(cont'd)
 

Well,

I think I've narrowed it down to a brand new 'SmokerCraft 172 ULTIMA' or a very lightly used 2006 Stratos 375 series F/S boat (glass).

Kinda torn between the two and wondering what others thought...

The Smokercraft is completely loaded and has the Optimax 115 with of course, a full warranty. Not going to be a 'super fast boat' but I would think I should be able to do 36 or 38 mph. It's a Great all around boat but obviously lacking a few of the things that I would get with the STRATOS.

The 2006 Stratos 375 is loaded and with less than 25 hours on it so it's basically new. It has a Yamaha 150 4-stroke which is a real bonus but there is NO warranty left on the boat,...at all. Having said that, the boat is absolutely 'cherry'.
Needless to say, no warranty on the boat nor the engine and with a price tag of around 30k makes me a 'bit nervous'.

Cheers,

/FC....

Well I would not spend 30K on a boat with no warranty. But to each his own.

Yeah, that definitely freaks me out... I have the option of having a proper mechanic go over the entire thing with a fine tooth comb but still... I don't know much about the newer engines so I can't say for sure how expensive they would be to fix if something should go wrong... or indeed, what is 'typical' of a 4 stroke issue / problem.

/FC....

For my money, definately go new...as for speed, I have a 115 E-Tec on my
17'8" and I have no problem hitting 40-45 mph with my wife and two kids...oh ya and two dogs, can't see the Merc. lagging to far behind that...should be fine.

Hell, that's good to know !

I was a bit concerned about the speed issue, so I was hoping to get some feedback regarding that.... I know there are a lot of variables, but I wonder what the difference is between the two as far as top end is concerned. The SmokerCraft would only be about 1350 lbs dry so figured it would go pretty good.... How much does yours weigh in at ?

I was also considering the Alumacraft 175 Trophy w/ E-Tec 135, but perhaps the 115 E-Tec on the same might be just fine ! I believe the boat is 200 lbs heavier than the Ultima 172 @ 1550#.

Cheers,

/FC...

when i was buying my boat last year i looked at the smokercraft and was ready to buy it when i seen the crestliner i bought. The prices where the same and the differences of the boats were fairly minimal but i liked my crestliner better, and then the big differences came which were i got the 4 stroke i wanted instead of the 2 stroke and the smokercraft had a sub standard trailer in comparison to the crestliner. I know that the prices have jumped this year but i i paid less then 25 k for my crestliner with a 115 4 stroke and a shorlander color matched trailer that has disc brakes. With my boat and loaded up with gear and five people i can push 43 mph on the gps and with one person its about 46mph, and it has a stock alum prop.The smokercraft dealer was puhing me towards the 2 stroke but im happy with the four and i know now that i will never by a 2 stroke no matter what a dealer tells me

Well honestly I think I'd like to go with a 4-Stroke as well but the price on this boat is pretty good and unfortunately the 4-Stroke isn't an option with the current sale.

I've got a 2-Stroke Mariner 40hp Magnum and I can easily do 30 mpg with myself and one other including gear in the boat, which is a 16' Lowe. It's a bit finicky here and there when trolling but it runs VERY well and I can't complain at all..

From what I know, the 2-Strokes have come a LONG way since my 40hp from 1990 so having said that, I'm not to worried about the 2-Stroke and it's performance VS the 4 Stroke although a side by side comparison would be cool to see !

It's funny that you should mention the Crestliner trailer. I found them to be just freakin' awful ! I can't believe they have 'plastic foot mounts' ! I was REALLY disappointed with that, compared to the Shorelander Galvanized, 2 foot swing tounge trailer being offered by Smokercraft. It's actually one of the reasons I eliminated the Crestliner.

Cheers,

/FC...

the trailer they were going to include in the smokercraft had no brakes and it looked like in belonged to a 12 foot boat, i guess your dealer has changed things up. The galvinzed trailer will be better if your planning for a few gravel road trips, i ending up buying the crestliner superhawk, it look like the twin of the smokercraft.

I highly agree

My Grew weighs in at around 1400 lbs and the 115 e-tec at just under 400 lbs, so again probably pretty close to your set up. I would be curious to see what kind of miliage you get on your set up. Our motors are direct competitors, so a real life....no BS marketing real world comparrson would be cool, especially since my rig is just a month old as well, could be interesting keep me posted and we can reveal to the world thereal truth:evilgrin::evilgrin:

Heh, heh.... Yeah, I see that both engines are the exact same weight etc... I have a feeling that the E-Tec is likely to make the boat a bit quicker. If I do pick this unit up, I'll be sure to let you know !

So since you brought it up, :) what's your top speed and RPM's right now with just you in the boat ? (GPS reading only...)

Cheers,

/FC....

Why?

It's a 2006 in "cherry" condition and you'd have the option of getting it completely checked out before buying. I understand that things can go wrong, but there's no way I'd live in fear of that. If it really is in mint shape and you've had it checked out, you've got nothing to worry about.

This isn't the 1980's anymore, outboards (especially a Yamaha 4 stroke) are very reliable, and it's a solid boat with a good reputation.

Look at it this way, the instant you drive off the lot with your new Smokercraft, it's lost as much value in depreciation as you'd spend to do MAJOR repairs on the Stratos. That's not being facetious, that's just the facts of the matter. You pay a real premium for that warranty and the "new boat smell".

If this is the boat you're looking at -

http://medicinehat.kijiji.ca/c-cars-...AdIdZ126702329

there's no question in my mind which one I'd be going for. This boat is loaded with everything you need and more, and it's a fraction of the new cost. Stratos hands down for me.

That said, buy the one you want. IMHO, the warranty isn't an issue one way or another, it comes down to which boat you feel better fits your needs and you'd rather be out on the lake in for the next few years.

Waxy

I chose a 4 stroke engine when I bought a new outboard and boat last fall. Research indicates a trend towards a greener environment and outdoor equipment like gas lawn mowers or chain saws or trail bikes could take the heat. Smoky 2 strokes appear to be headed for the endangered species list well before a new motor becomes scrap iron. Mercury presents the argument that their two strokers meet California emmission standards, and they may well do, but I argue that that is factory specs. on a new block and pistons that will quickly fall below the high standards set by the beaurocrats with time and use. I prefer to be able to keep my engine for life in the event that they become outlawed in the future, plus these 4 stroke EFI engines are very very quiet compared to a "growler" and not so smelly when back-trolling. Hope that is useful.
Dave Si.

Honestly it's never been just me...I will have to give it a go and find out this weekend for sure. But with 2 people wide open at around 5400rpm I am hitting 45-47 trimmed out

I think I agree with Waxy on this one. That Stratos is a beaut and the Yamaha 4 stroke is a reliable engine. If my choice was it or the new Smokercraft, then the Stratos would be my choice hands down.

That Stratos is a nice boat . I again agree 110 % with Waxy , the second she comes off the lot its lost quite alot of money .I guess its all in what you want . That Stratos is set up beautifully lots of equipment youll use and maybe not so much use but nice to have . If you were to ask me which one id lay my 30,000 down at would easily be the stratos . I know ive looked at these brand new , same with smoker craft , crestliner , and sylvan . Id buy the stratos before I bought a smoker craft . Your best be is arrange with that fella of Kijiji there see if ya cant go giver a test drive , same as smoker craft see which boat you like best . And when testing it dont pu55y foot it , test drive it not nurse it .But dont smash it up . You know what I mean !!!

Strato for sure. i wouldnt worry about it at all.

Well....
 

Lot's of points taken here and yes THAT is in fact the STRATOS that I am looking at buying.... 57 mph boat so says the owner. Quite an amazing boat !

You've seen the specs on the STRATOS, so here's the DEAL on the SMOKERCRAFT and perhaps you guys can tell me what you think...

In any event, the SmokerCraft is indeed a 'Smokin' Deal at $27,999 w/ NO GST.

Model is the 172 ULTIMA with 5 keels and Hyrdra Lift Rolled V-HULL

Boat is loaded with;
3 BASS seats (6 seat bases), 2 rear Jump Seats, Front seat cushions, Fish Top, Aft Curtains, Side Curtains, Mooring Cover, Travel Top, Front and LARGE rear Livewell, Pull up Cleats, Satellite / AM/FM Stereo w/ MP3 dock, Vinyl floor w/ removable carpet (snap in carpet), all Lockable storage (in floor, Sides and Bow), Tilt Steering, MinnKota 55 V2 with removable bracket, X-52 FF, 2 batteries w/onboard charging system, Swim Platform, Ski-Bar Package (Tri-Pod, etc..) and Matching Color (Decal) Shorelander "Bunk" trailer w/ Galvanized Upgrade. It of course, comes with the 115 Optimax. It has a FULL 3 year warranty on the engine, 3 year on the boat and Lifetime on the HULL.

I guess that's about it.

Although I'd love to have the Stratos, I think the above might be a BETTER fit for the family.

Any additional opinions or "Pro's and Con's" are welcomed !

Cheers,

/FC...

Yes, I was thinking the same thing there John....

Take it into a Mechanic and have it very carefully inspected and given the 'Full Monty' so to speak... :)

The seller said taking it out for a cruise wouldn't be a problem either. Water is only about 25 minutes away from the boat so that's a bonus...

I spoke with a mechanic and he informed me that indeed a 4-Stroke with any 'moderate' issue WILL be VERY expensive to fix... period. The Hull warranty on the STRATOS is also NON-TRANSFERABLE and those two kinda freak me out a bit.... I know it's a long shot on the HULL, but if something does go wrong with it, I'm out 20k for another piece of 'Fiberglass'.

Cheers,

/FC....

Wow !... That's pretty damn fast.

I spoke with another buyer of the EXACT same ULTIMA that I'm looking at and he said he was able to do 46 by himself on the water with his rods and his gear (I don't think he had much extra weight). I'm basically looking for a boat that can do 36 - 40 mph with me and the family and cruise at around 30. If I can find a boat that can do that, then I'd be plenty happy with that....

Cheers,

/FC....

2 adults and 2 small kids....

Comparing equipment, the Stratos is far better equipped. That's a big factor IMHO.

Much better bow mount (24V, AP, US2, and CoPilot), rear trolling motor (24V), much better electronics, onboard charger, jack plate for the outboard, two S/S props, it's max'd out on HP, etc, etc...

If you start adding all that stuff up, you're going to see $6-7000, (or considerably more to max the HP on the Smokercraft) in a BIG hurry.

And again, I understand being a little concerned, but the outboard has 25hrs on it. That's hardly even broken in!

It seems to me you're leaning heavily toward the SmokerCraft for the peace of mind and owning new. There's nothing wrong with that. Again, buy the one that you want, you're the one that'll be using the boat long term. I'm sure you'll be happy with whichever boat you choose.

At any rate, that's my last post on the subject.

Waxy

Yep,

True enough.... I'm leaning towards the SmokerCraft but that STRATOS is simply stuck in my head.... Can't get it out ! That is one fine boat with a LOT of extras for the Price. I'm not completely CRAZY about a glass boat in Alberta but BC will be another place I'll end up playing in the water too... That boat would come in Handy on Kootenay, Mara and the Okanagan lakes !

I know if I end up going to see it, I'll end up buying it if it gets a clean bill of health, which no doubt it will....

Decisions, Decisions.....

/FC....

i would suggest seeing the stratos and make your mind up from there

and then compare the to boats from their

if the stratos checks out it is def worth it

and I have no problem hitting 40-45 mph with my wife and two kids...oh ya and two dogs, can't see the Merc. lagging to far behind that...should be fineec on my


40-45 MPH :lol:
Thorne
You should not give him unreasonable expectations for his boat purchase. If he hits 40 on a glass lake by himself with no gear and 10 litres of fuel he's doing good.

My pick would be the smokercraft

:huh:

You'd pick the SmokerCraft even though you think it won't hit 40 mph ? Or did you mean to say you would pick the "STRATOS" over the Smokercraft ?

/FC....

I'm surprised you would say that the ULTIMA would be that slow... I've got a LOWE 16' LUNKER V and by myself with my all my own gear I can do 33-37 mph (GPS) with no problem. My motor is a 2 Stroke Mariner 40hp Magnum.

I can't see why a 1300# boat with a 115 wouldn't easily do 40+ mph. The calculators all seem to point higher than that with proper Pitch and Prop size.

Cheers,

/FC...

BTW, my LOWE is now for sale ! I just gotta figure out how much to ask....

/FC...

I fish with a number of people with various 1300-1500# models of boat most of them run a SS 15P prop for decent hole shot and pulling the family around on a tube. With 115 hp 4 stroke or 2 stroke you can expect 40-42 mph (speedo) with yourself and gear. You will find this speed drops considerable with a full tank of fuel and the rest of the family on board. If your looking to do any water sports with the kids you may be a little disappointed with the smokercraft and 115 HP package. That being said the stratos is set up as a hard core fishing boat. Your family may appreciate a full windshield rather than dual console. For 30,000.00 I wouldn't buy a boat without a warranty.

Later
Dan

go for the stratos
 

Knowing the owner of this boat and how he treats his equipment I would not hesitate to buy this boat over the aluminum boat. The stratos is turn key and ready to go fishing. It is a stable boat even when the lake blows up. I run a Lund and not that partial to fibreglass boats, but this is a good boat deal

Cheers!
Rattler

Yeah I've decided to let this one go.....

It's definitely a FISHING machine and the guy who owns it DEFINITELY knows what he is doing ! The rigging was done by himself (he's done a number of them) as he wanted it done 'right' and from speaking with him, he's VERY 'anal' about the boat. Having said that, I had time to think about it and it is more of a FISHING rig than I certainly need....

***NOTE***

For any of you that may be considering this boat. I JUST heard from STRATOS headquarters this AM and they tell me that the Warranty on the HULL is in FACT FULLY TRANSFERABLE to ONE other person !! The warranty for the original purchaser is good for LIFE and if the boat is sold, the SECOND owner pays a $100.00 dollar fee and the Warranty is good for TEN YEARS from the ORGINAL OWNERS DATE OF PURCHASE. So this boat basically has another 7 years of warranty left on the HULL should someone wish to buy it ! I suppose that's better than nothing !

I've found another boat that I'm going to look at tonight instead.

Cheers,

/FC...