Pathfinder has been a major player in the bayboat segment for years. With the introduction of the 2700 Open, however, the builder is offering a fishing platform that combines the best of bayboat and center console designs. Perhaps the best way to describe it is a bayboat with an expansive forward casting platform and the fishing features of a center console in the cockpit.

The boat isn’t a hybrid, though; it’s an entirely different breed of fishboat.

The 2700 Open rides a double-stepped hull with an 18-degree transom deadrise that’s built using Maverick’s VARIS (vacuum-assisted, resin-infused system) laminate process to produce a lightweight, strong boat capable of handling serious horsepower. The 9-foot, 6-inch beam carries far forward to create lots of deck space, and the 17-inch, engine-up draft opens up skinny-water fishing options.

Rated for up to 450 ponies, hull No. 1 has Yamaha’s 425-hp XTO mounted on a jackplate for a top end of 60 mph. It burns 10.8 gph of fuel at 31 mph while turning 3,500 rpm. The standard 97-gallon fuel tank can be increased with an additional 31-gallon tank for those who venture farther offshore.

The cockpit is deep to provide a secure feeling while flying kites, working a trolling spread or bottom fishing. There’s a 22-gallon live well in the transom, forward of which is an L-shaped hatch for access to pumps, through-hull fittings and valves. A pair of in-deck macerated fishboxes complete the cockpit.

The two-person Llebroc bench helm seat has a 42-gallon, integrated live well abaft of it. A door on the starboard side accesses the battery switches. A five-rod rocket launcher array is available as an option and fits behind the helm bench. The engine and house batteries are accessed through a panel under the seat.

The console, with a T-top, is large enough for a 16-inch Garmin display, a Yamaha Command Link gauges, a VHF radio, and stereo and autopilot controls. One of the two molded footrests opens into a stowage compartment with charging ports inside.

The console’s interior has enough space for a porta-potti, and the breaker panel is located here. A single step that contains an insulated cooler box leads to the casting platform in the bow. A large stowage compartment is situated under the platform, and an anchor locker is forward of it. It has a rack for a Danforth-style anchor and can hold an ample amount of rode.

Rod stowage includes under-gunwale racks for up to 9-foot fly rods, and there’s an in-deck cast net locker forward of the console. Other features include pop-up cleats, dual aft jump seats and a fiberglass cooler with a cushion and backrest on the forward end of the console.

With appealing lines a contemporary design, the Pathfinder 2700 Open is sure to catch the attention of serious anglers.

Check it out at pathfinderboats.com.

Subscribe to Anglers Journal here.