Pathfinder 2400 Open

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The beauty of Pathfinder’s new 2400 Open is that it’s great for inshore fishing, but also big and secure enough to head offshore even when the waves kick up. More than a hybrid, it features a deep, open aft cockpit that does away with the rear casting deck, making it more like a center-console layout from amidships to the stern. The 2400 Open has gunwale heights that measure between 22 and 25 inches, high enough for me to lock my knees under the full-cockpit combing pads.

For stability, the 2400 Open sports a 9-foot beam. Its 15-degree transom deadrise also enhances lateral stability. The model floats in 14 inches of water, so traversing shallow areas is not an issue. Our test boat had the optional 36-volt Rhodan trolling bow motor, which allowed us to stealthily work mangrove-lined banks, skipping lures under the limbs from the roomy forward deck.

For those into live-bait fishing, the 2400 Open punches above its weight with two mega-size livewells. The aquarium-style 40-gallon bait spa behind the helm seats wouldn’t look out of place on a 30-foot offshore center-console. It has a clear lid with friction hinges, two livewell pumps, and three drains in case one gets clogged. At the stern is a 25-gallon livewell that comes standard with a livewell pump, and is available with an optional recirculating pump.

Our 2400 Open had an amazing 27 rod holders, with some pulling double duty as drink holders. There were optional holders on the T-top, which also featured two rocket-launcher rod holders pointing outward to create a mini trolling spread, if you don’t order the optional outriggers. Our boat had an upper helm station with a pair of rod holders that allow the captain to quickly grab a rod. There’s plenty of room to ice fish in the three fish boxes, which can be optioned with macerators.

Last year, Pathfinder unveiled the 2400 TRS, a sister boat to the 2400 Open. It has the same single-step hull that shares the identical deadrise and dimensions. Where they differ is at the bow and stern. The 2400 TRS (Third Row Seat) has a family-friendlier seating layout consisting of a U-shaped lounge in the bow with flip-up forward-facing backrests, and a bench seat at the stern that has a flip-down backrest that forms a rear casting deck. To preserve cockpit space, there’s no livewell behind the helm seats. The 2400 Open is a more serious fishing boat with a bow section that features a raised casting deck. It has a smaller step-up just abaft that has lockable storage. You can order optional jump seats in the corners of the transom with seat bottoms that fold up and out of the way to preserve fishing space.

Just in front of the medium-size center console is a seat that could be large enough for two smaller anglers, but the seatback has side bolsters that make it more comfortable for just one person. The seat bottom is the lid of a padded 80-quart Engel cooler. The console is finished inside and has room for an optional marine toilet with an in-deck pump-out fitting.

If you are the kind of angler who likes to crank up the pre-fishing adrenaline with some loud rock, Pathfinder offers a premium JL Audio system. Owners can customize their boat with a choice of five optional colors, or even order a boat with a custom color of their choosing. In addition to storage in the console, there’s a compartment on the foredeck, one under the step-up to the forward deck, and another just behind set into the deck and deep enough for a 5-gallon bucket.

At the helm, a two-person crew sits atop comfortable Llebroc seats with flip-up bolsters that also allow occupants to stand in comfort. The upper footrest even houses a watertight compartment perfect for stashing phones and wallets. For electronics, the console’s dash is large enough to accommodate a 16-inch Garmin display. To provide shade over the center console of the 2400 Open boat, you can order an optional fiberglass hardtop. As mentioned earlier, our Pathfinder 2400 Open test boat featured the second-station tower option for an elevated perspective. The tower also integrates a canvas shade over the main helm area below.

Powering our test boat was a Yamaha F300, which Pathfinder mounts on a 6-inch jack plate that eliminates the need for a splashwell and allows full use of the swim platform. Even with no trim tabs deployed, the 2400 Open got on plane quickly in 3.6 seconds with little bow rise. At 29.2 mph, it burned 8.3 gph, which netted 3.5 mpg, and provides plenty of range with an 88-gallon fuel tank. Even at its top speed of 54.9 mph, it got better than 2 mpg. It’s rated for up to a 350 hp outboard, but the only way to add that much power is to choose the Mercury option, which also includes a 300 hp choice. Yamaha outboard choices are the F250 and F300 models.

The addition of the 2400 Open to Pathfinder’s fleet of boats gives more serious anglers a hybrid on steroids that is just as at home trolling weed lines for mahi as it is drifting the flats for trout.

Specifications

Pathfinder Boats – pathfinderboats.com

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