Stratos(tm) boats are not too common around here; there are only a few dealers in Michigan. I first saw a Stratos in a dealer's yard in 1990. When I looked it over, everything seemed SOLID, and the fit and finish was much better than the other boats I had been looking at. I was offered a really good price on the boat (it was late fall), but I put it off, checked with the other dealer in southern Michigan, looked at other boats, and finally went back to the first dealer for some serious dickering.
This was the first time I got to look at the catalog with all the possible options that Stratos offers. Since I'm the kind of person who likes high-tech toys, one particular option caught my eye: Kevlar. And for only $700 extra. I was hooked.
The Stratos is a great-riding boat, especially in moderately rough, choppy water, which is the norm where I boat. It also handles the wakes of other boats well, which is a major consideration where I boat. Some of this is due to the hull shape. It's a modified-vee with 18 degrees deadrise at the transom but deeper than most in the mid-to-bow area. I think most of the riding quality comes from the sheer weight of the hull: 2500 pounds bare/~4000 with motor, full tanks, junk and driver. I have since found out that the norm for boats of this size is closer to 1800 pounds bare hull.
The weight means this isn't the fastest 20 foot boat with a 175, but the 40 MPH that it will achieve is enough for me (until I get a bigger motor.) The way I have it propped sacrifices some hole-shot for efficient running at top speed.
I've never regretted buying the Stratos. I boat in the midst of the world's largest concentration of small recreational boats; I go to several boat shows every year -- often to the big one at Miami. I have yet to see a boat that makes me feel, "gee, i wish i had known about that one before i bought the stratos." I honestly don't think you can say better about any product than that.