Boat Test: 2026 Pathfinder 2300 HPS

Overview

A mechanic would never use a wrench as a hammer, so if you are primarily an inshore angler, why would you want a boat that is also designed to go offshore if it came at the expense of being less efficient for its primary mission? One of the hottest trends is hybrid, multipurpose boats, and they make sense for those who split their time equally between fishing inshore and offshore. But if going skinny in pursuit of fish is your passion, a boat like the Pathfinder 2300 HPS is the right tool for the job. Sure, flats boats can go shallower, but they can’t carry five anglers and handle large inshore waters in style and comfort when the wind kicks up. On those balmy days, it can go past marker No. 1 to head offshore when handled responsibly by an experienced owner.

Interior and Accessories

Raised casting platforms at both the bow and stern serve as primary fishing zones aboard the 2300 HPS. Unlike most flats boats, there’s a raised edge around the perimeter of both platforms that serves as a warning for educated feet. This lets anglers know when they are close to walking the plank. The step up to the bow platform conceals a surprisingly deep locker beneath a sturdy hatch that I’d deem perfect for cast net buckets. My test boat featured an optional 36-volt, 63-inch shaft Garmin Force Kraken trolling motor ($4,897) installed on the bow, and owners can step up to a 60-inch shaft Power-Pole Move trolling motor, which costs $2,143 more and is insanely quiet (I’ve fished it). A truly serious fishing boat, the 2300 HPS doesn’t offer some of the family-friendly niceties such as bowrider seatbacks. Instead, it has lockable rod lockers attached to the main deck that can serve as auxiliary seats if needed. But don’t bother looking for other multitask features such as ski-tow bars, cockpit tables or head options because there aren’t any. Unlike Pathfinder Hybrid or Open series models that boast interior gunwale heights up to 25 inches, the 2300 HPS’s cockpit depth measures slightly less than 18 inches, which for most adults is just below knee-height. In open ocean swells, this would likely beat up your knees and increase the chances of shipping water or of someone taking an unscheduled dip. But low gunwales such as those aboard the 2300 HPS prove super helpful for those anglers who do a lot of catch-and-release fishing, land fish by hand, or swing their quarry aboard. It’s also ideal for those who like to skip-cast into low-lying branches or under docks—places where lunkers often lurk—and it reduces the boat’s windage, which makes it easier for the trolling motor to do its job of keeping you in the best position to present a bait or lure to your quarry.

Live-bait anglers will love the Pathfinder 2300 HPS’s standard 35-gallon livewell, which I’ll note with approval, installed on the boat’s centerline for better balance. I’d advise upgrading it with a recirculating pump ($199) which ensures you can keep your baits lively while on the move on the water, on the trailer headed to the launch ramp or find yourself in a dirty-water situation. Owners can add a leaning post livewell ($787) that holds 25 gallons, and for even more capacity, there’s a portside compartment located on the rear deck that can be converted to a release well that would also be ideal for holding live crabs, if the hunt for giant reds, black drum, tautog, or permit is on the agenda. Those who prospect for fish by sight will likely opt for the mini tower ($18,932). The tower also affords you an eagle-eye view of the shallows when running. The vantage running from the tower helps avoid rapid, unscheduled stoppages. When fishing inshore, good anglers like to have rods rigged with different setups to be able to take advantage of opportunities as soon as they arise, and Pathfinder makes it easy with four vertical rod holders on both sides of the center console, with three more holders behind the standard leaning post with an Engel cooler underneath. Four more rod holders reside in the gunwales abaft of the center console and owners can add six more by adding a hardtop or fabric T-top. Undergunwale rod storage features bungee cords that press against the rods to minimize the banging as you run to the hotspot. The helm of Pathfinder’s 2300 HPS is compact to maximize fishing space aboard, but there’s enough room for a 16-inch MFD. The only dash downer was that the shiny, black dash insert surrounding the 12-inch Garmin chart plotter/fish finder was annoyingly reflective.

Shoppers might compare the Pathfinder to Contender’s 24 Bay (advertised for $125,000 with a Mercury 300 Pro XS). That boat is a bit longer and carries19 gallons more fuel and a 50 hp higher maximum rating. The layouts are similar, with the Contender having a slightly larger foredeck but a smaller aft deck.

Read Next: Boat Test: Pathfinder 2400 Open

Engine

Powering my test boat was the Yamaha VMax SHO VF250, which, according to Pathfinder, is the overwhelming choice of owners over the other option, the Yamaha F300 with the integrated Digital Electric Steering (DES). The VF250 is a hot rod of an engine with excellent acceleration that pushed the 2300 HPS on plane in 3.5 seconds and to 30 mph in 6.3 seconds. That’s quick. The Yamaha sports a 20-inch shaft, and with the standard Atlas jack plate mounted on the extended transom, it can run the boat in as little as 15 inches of water, which is only 3 inches more than its draft when floating with the motor tilted up. The F300’s shortest shaft length is a 25-inch model and is $12,126 more expensive, which might explain the popularity of the 250 VMax SHO.

How We Tested

• Engine: Yamaha VMax SHO VF250
• Drive/Prop: Outboard/Mercury Tempest Plus 23″ x 14 ¼” 3-blade stainless steel
• Gear Ratio:1.75:1 Fuel Load: 30 gal. Crew Weight: 550 lb.

High Points

• Vacuum Assisted Resin Infusion System (VARIS) creates a strong yet light hull.
• The batteries and wiring harness inside the console are cleanly installed, properly secured and easily accessed.
• Hands off! Friction hinges grace all the hatch lids while gutters channel water away from gear stowed within the lockers.

Low Points

• VMax SHO 250’s mechanical shift system isn’t as smooth as the  Digital Electric Control on the available F300.
• A small baitwell on the front deck would prevent anglers in the bow from having to trek to the stern to reload. 

Pricing and Specs

Speed, Efficiency, Operation