Stratos SS Extreme Owners

[lilbuddy]

Good Morning..... I tried searching the forum for information about stratos ss extreme and can't find much. In particular I'm looking for owners of a 2000 22 ss extreme. I was contacted by a buddy who knows a guy selling one. I can't even find much info when I google it. I'm looking for specs and reviews. 

 

Would love to hear what you guys have to say...btw it has an evinrude 225

 

TIA

[DodgeRamWax]

I have a 2000 20 ss extreme and love it. I know it's not the 22 you were looking for but it handles all the water the windy state of Kansas can throw at it. I also have a 225 hp Johnson on it. It pushes it around 65 mph. Has a 80 fortrex trolling motor and that does fine "MOST" days

 

[jbh3]

Might try over at the Statos forum on *** (http://www.***/forumdisplay.php?f=52). Good chance those folks will have some info for you regarding that combo.

[Siebert Outdoors]

41 minutes ago, DodgeRamWax said:

I have a 2000 20 ss extreme and love it. I know it's not the 22 you were looking for but it handles all the water the windy state of Kansas can throw at it. I also have a 225 hp Johnson on it. It pushes it around 65 mph. Has a 80 fortrex trolling motor and that does fine "MOST" days

 

 

 

Mine is a 2001 20ss with a 225 Ficht set up just like yours.  I like the boat.  The main problem with the ficht is the computer.  If it goes out depending on model it may not be able to be repaired.  From what I have been told some years you have to replace the computer its about 2500.  Mine I can be rebuilt.  1500.  Boat is great but I would not own another Ficht.

[lilbuddy]

Thanks guys....so this is a friend of a friend who told me yesterday he knows a guy selling a 2000 22ss extreme. I tried to find some info...I know it has an evinrude but not sure if its a fitch.

 

Not sure what forum was posted above since the words were removed....

 

I'm not sure if this boat is even something that will happen or not...I'm supposed to talk to the owner tonight. I never intended on getting a rig this big and not even sure it will fit into my garage. 

 

 

[Way2slow]

For the ficht owners.  I would suggest contacting DFI Technologies with any ECU and Injector problems. 

Yes, the early fichts, have serious ECU problems that have caused all kinds of problems.  DFI does all the latest updates close to 50 the last time I had one done.  This greatly improves the engines reliability and reduces the chances of the popped piston the early fichts were/are so famous for. 

Now, this is not a cheap something to do, but it's a whole lot cheaper than a blown power head or buying a new OEM ECU.   Plus it's usually a lot cheaper than going through a dealer to have one reman'd.

I have not had one done in several years so can't say what they charge now.

[lilbuddy]

I was able to speak with the seller tonight and got a little more details. 

 

He said it will need a fuel pump and my guess is a little TLC. I asked about any motor problems since it is a ficht. He said when he first had it there was an issue where the motor would cut off coming out of the hole. He brought it back to the dealer and they fixed the issue....now 17 years later he said hes never had another issue with it. I still want to get the motor looked at by a mechanic. 

 

NADA is 11-12k...... lets just say he wants a lot less than that.. close to half of that...of course that kind of scared me...last thing I want to do is buy someone elses problem. As I mentioned above for a peace of mind I would get the boat looked at by a mechanic. 

 

The boat also needs a little elbow grease to get it looking good again. He was going to clean it up before I go and see it on Sunday but he did send me some pics tonight before he could clean it. I think even if I put a couple of thousand into the boat (which I dont think it really needs) I would still be coming out with a nice rig.

 

Now one issue I know Im going to have is the length.....my only option is getting a fulton swing tongue kit. It will need to fit in my garage where my max length is 24-25...this is going to be close to 26 if not over. 

 

[Way2slow]

Make some kind of agreement that you will buy the boat for an agreed upon price once you can make a test run with it. 

DO NOT buy that motor without hearing it run and making a WOT run with it.  If it needs a fuel pump, which is actually called the lift pump because the injectors actually make the pressure, let him have it installed so you can run it. 

I'm not knocking the motor, I have A 99, 225 I've been running for 10 years, (after having the ECU updated) and luv it, but I am also very familiar with the mechanics of that motor.  The injectors in them are barely large enough, I don't even recommend turning one over 5,800 rpm. 

If the boats has sat for several months without being run, old gas can cause the injectors be a little sluggish.  This can cause a lean condition and melt a piston in a heart beat.  Also be sure to give it plenty of warm-up time before leaving the dock. 

If you buy on good faith, you have a very good chance of having one very, very expensive boat. 

 

One other bit of gee wiz info.  If the injectors are removed, make sure they are numbered and go back in the same hole they came out of.  The ECU is calibrated for each injector so they have to stay with the same cylinder.  If you replace one, it has to come with a disc that's use by the service program to recalibrate the ecu for that replacement injector.

One other thing, if he says the motor has had all  the factory updates, a popular sales pitch, the only update the factory ever did was one mandated the coast guard that installed metal brackets on the fuel lines on the injectors to hold them in.  Before that, several had leaked and exploded.  There has never been any other updates the factory at their expense.  The only way to get the ecu updates was to buy a new one, at your expense.  Actually, the USCG updates was for the 99 motor, the 2,000 didn't have any.

If checked by a dealer, the ecu stores how many hours the motor has and how many it spent at different rpm ranges.  Believe it or not, but it usually shows a huge amount of hours are below 1,000 rpm

 

 

 

[jbh3]

15 hours ago, lilbuddy said:

Thanks guys....so this is a friend of a friend who told me yesterday he knows a guy selling a 2000 22ss extreme. I tried to find some info...I know it has an evinrude but not sure if its a fitch.

 

Not sure what forum was posted above since the words were removed....

 

I'm not sure if this boat is even something that will happen or not...I'm supposed to talk to the owner tonight. I never intended on getting a rig this big and not even sure it will fit into my garage. 

 

Not my doing. Not sure why trying to provide an additional information source would be against forum rules. At any rate you've got some VERY good advice from way2slow. From your pictures, that boat appears to have a lot of potential if the engine performs well and the other systems are working properly. Test EVERYTHING. Don't over look the condition of the trailer. Best of luck!

 

[Logan S]

I've had my 20SS Extreme for the past 9 years and it's been a great boat.  It had a 200 Ficht on it when I bought it, but that blew a few years back and I repowered with a new Etec.  The Ficht was a strong motor and I really liked it right up until it gave out...I was good with regular maintenance and had the ECU updated by DFI Tech too, I don't think I could have done anything more - It just failed.  Plenty of guys still running the 200/225 Fichts though, seems to be a luck of the draw type of thing.  From what I've read/heard it was mostly the small block motors (150/175hp) that had the majority of problems which killed the Ficht's reputation.

 

The boat itself is great and I've been very happy with it...It's very capable in rough water and has good performance for it's age.  It's an excellent fishing platform all around.

 

After this season I'll be shopping for a new rig, but it's not becasue the SS Extreme isn't getting the job done - I'm just ready for a new rig.

[lilbuddy]

Update:

 

Went and saw the rig yesterday. It was in pretty good shape. He stores it under a carport and it hasnt moved in 2 years. Needless to say one side of it was sun damaged...the other side looked amazing. 

 

A few primes on the gas line and she almost turned over. The guy wanted $6500 for it but he was willing to work with me. Not bad considering nada is about 11k but I don't want to have a project on my hands and I dont think it would even fit in my garage....

 

Thanks for all the insight...once again you guys have been helpful.

[Further North]

Man...@$6.500...even it blows up you can re-power and be in that boat for good money...

 

I'd hit it...