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HPXT versus HPXV.


Colorado Matt

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Greetings forum,

I'm a Colorado native and avid fly fisherman who has become addicted to fishing the shallow waters of South Florida and the Keys.

My fishing buddy, who lives on Sanibel Island, has an older Pathfinder 2400. I love his boat, but it's not ideally suited for fly fishing skinny waters, so I've decided to add a poling skiff to our arsenal. My budget is $20K.

It appears my budget dictates that I buy used in the 2006-2008 year range, ***uming I stick with Mavericks.

I'm hoping those of you who have experience with both HPXV and HPXT models can elaborated on the practical differences between the two. Have either designs changed dramatically in the last 10 years? Any specific glitches or problems with either model in the vintage I'm searching for?

My only other boat is a dory-style drift boat for river fishing here in the West, so any advice you can offer to this skiff newbie will be most appreciated.

Cheers,

Matt

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I've owned both the HPX-T and HPX-V. If you're planning to fish the Keys and Pine Island Sound (area around Sanibel), you want the V. The T is wonderful getting onto really shallow flats, and it's great for jumping up on plane in the shallows, but, in the big water it will pound you to death.

I used my T in Everglades National Park out of Chokoloskee. On days when the wind was fierce, I could fish the relatively sheltered areas in the Glades backcountry. It was a great boat for that venue. In the Keys and Pine Island Sound, it was a back-breaker.

The V has a more versatile hull. You can still pole and run shallow, but it's much more capable overall -- one of the best poling skiff for the Keys and PI Sound and one of the smoothest running small skiffs in a chop.

I bought my T in 2000 (hull #8) and used it for 7 years. I purchased a V in 2006. Originally, I planned to keep both, using the T in sheltered waters and the V in the big water. After a year, I found the V took care of all my needs, so I sold the T. It eventually found a happy home in Texas. My V is still running strong.

Good luck with your purchase.

Best,

Bill

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What Capt. Bill said plus...

The "V's", the 18 anyway, got an overhaul in 2009 but that's probably not going to affect your decision with your stated budget. I've spent some time on tunnels and there's really no comparison in ride, not that there should be because they're totally different boats.

I've heard more than once draft on the two V models (17 and 18) is the same but side by side the 18 is huge comparatively. I can't verify the draft but I can say that they pole pretty similarly. The 17 is much more tippy but a little easier to push around. That being said my wife poles our 18 around every weekend so I don't think you need to take it into consideration.

One thing with the tunnels that I've noticed from this forum is that more than a couple have needed some sort of repairs for water intrusion.

Good luck with your search.

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The quick and short is that the v will handle open water very well,draft in the range of 8-10 inches and is slightly tippy. Where as the t has a flat bottom will ride rough in anything over 6 inch chop,has the ability to take off shallow and draft 6-8 inches,a little less tippy. Both pole easy. On the t look for leaks on the rubrails.

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Thanks for the quick replies Capt. Bill and Jason.

One of my reasons for considering the T is the fact that my buddy already has a suitable bay boat, so our bigger water needs are covered.

We had his Pathfinder in the Glades south of Choko' 2 weeks ago, and we beached it trying to get to one of his honey holes at low tide. Fortunately, we only had to wait about 30 minutes for the rising tide to get us floating again. Once we got there, we went 2 for 7 on big tarpon in about 4 hours of fishing. It was one of my best days on the water, but the cumbersome nature of his boat in skinny water convinced me we needed a skiff.

I've read the tunnel design is bit more stable for moving around onboard while fishing. Is this true? Or, is the only advantage the shallower draft?

Matt

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On the t look for leaks on the rubrails.

On this note, I will expose my ignorance. What are the tell-tale signs of leaking rubrails?

Also, is it advisable to pay for a certified mechanic to computer check the engine before buying? What is an average to low amount of hours on a 2006-2008 engine?

On the trailer, I ***ume I should check for the usual, like the wiring and connections, excessive corrosion on the frame, the condition of the hubs and tires. Anything else? I know salt is very destructive.

Thanks for your patience with my newbie questions. I will have to book flights from Colorado to come see any potential candidates, so I'm trying to minimize wasted trips in my search.

Matt

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Typically the older MavT's don't leak at rest. You need to run it on plane to check for water intrusion. Not hard to detect, bilge pump comes on ( most serious), look in the bilge hatch , pull the plug after a hard run...usual things. Water can enter the bilge via the bilge pump output thru hull. Not a serious concern.

Own a year 2000 hull no. 2.

dh

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The water intrusion is unique to the tunnel, it has to do with the way it turns.. The rail of the boat dips under the water line and pressurized water is forced through the rub rail.. It's not a big deal to fix, pull the rub rail off in that area and reseal.. The differences mentioned in the 17-V and 17-T are subtle differences not night and day huge gaps.. The 18-V is more like your pathfinder, it's a enormous boat compared to the others...

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Thanks for the clarification on the rubrail, Wayne. It doesn't sound like a major issue if you're diligent about maintenance.

Yeah, I think the 18' is more boat than I'll want to pole around all day.

Honestly, I'm leaning towards the T for the pole-ability and stability while fishing. It seems better suited for a dedicated skinny water, spot and stalk fly fishing rig. I think we can work around the ride quality in chop issue by selecting our days and routes appropriately.

I'm scheduled to look at a T in Bonita Springs a week from today. If it's as nice as the owner claims, it sounds like the boat I'm looking for. Thanks for all your advice, gentlemen. I feel more prepared to make my decision, now.

Matt

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I've learned that the 17T I'll be looking at had upgraded black double braid rubrails installed when new. Owner says they've never leaked, nor have they ever been removed.

I was disappointed to learn it has no GPS/depth finder, though, but at least it's rigged with antenna and transducer for a Garmin.

No jack plate, either, but I'm thinking that isn't necessary with this boat. I'm having a computer diagnostic done on the engine prior to my arrival. We'll see.....

Matt

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Well,, let me clarify, if you were looking for a one boat to do everything boat, the 18 is an awesome boat, I love the 18.. I owned the predecessor to your boat and it worked well for my style of fishing, but it is not a true poling skiff in the sense of comparing it to much smaller boats.. True it poles great for a boat it's size, and I don't mean any offense, but if you add a stiff current and a mud bottom, The T will pole circles around us...

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Had a six foot Power Pole which worked fine. Anchor pins are a bit of a pain in my opinion. Storing it, deploying it when a hard or rocky bottom, etc.

Some people use both, the anchor pin deployed on the bow to keep the skiff from spinning on the Power Pole in the wind or strong tide. But I think with good positioning with the PP you can usually overcome that issue. Think you might tired of messing with an anchor pin.

dh

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I have both on my 17T - a 6' PP Sportsman and a Wang with a bracket mounted on the stern on the opposite side of the PP. Honestly, I rarely use the Wang as I pole or drift 99% of the time.

The PP and Wang came with the boat when I bought it.

When I started on my quest to find a 17T I thought the PP would add too much weight on the stern so was looking at just adding a pin but now that I have had the PP for a couple of years I don't think the weight is much of an impact and the convenience is worth it.

I also have a jackplate and I believe it is essential for my area - very large, shallow flats and back lakes that have little to no deep water access. I use the jackplate on plane as well as getting out of the hole but need to trim down to keep the water pressure up as well as running in deeper water when the chop kicks up.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I've owned a 2001 HPX T for 13 years. I live in MD but spend four months on Pine Island each winter. I had never been on a V prior to buying my T but I have since gotten a chance to fish an HPX V in the Keys. I agree with Bill's comments, the T doesn't handle a chop well, but it's performance in shallow water is something to behold. I find I can run shallow all up the West side of Pine Island in shallow water, avoid the choppy sound, and get pretty much anywhere I want to go. I cross the sound on light wind days and leave it alone when the wind is blowing. The T allows you to head out during negative low tides and reach places where you rarely find other boats, maybe a kayak or two. I have a 6' power pole, and I just repowered with a new F70. I also have a bow mount MK remote control trolling motor plus a bow platform. The TM meant an additional Optima D31 onboard. As you can see, I'm not going for minimal weight but she still floats plenty shallow. I fish alone mostly from bow using the TM and only pole it when fishing buddies show up. I highly recommend the power pole, I use it many times each fishing day in shallow water. It's really helpful on days when the wind will push you right into the fish and spook them, plus you can slow down and cover water more carefully. And the PP is great when you just need to sit down and change up your fishing gear without drifting around. I often use the PP with the TM on low speed to cock the boat at whatever angle is best for the situation. The T is an amazing boat if you love shallow water and sight fishing, especially fly fishing. Overall though, the V is certainly a more versatile skiff.

 

 

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Thank for all the replies, guys. 

I bit the bullet and purchased this 2006 HPXT. It's only has 350 hrs on the original motor, and is generally very clean. 

I need to add a GPS/sonar unit, and replace the trailer axle and hubs due to corrosion.  Otherwise, she's ready for years of enjoyment. I'm very excited. 

Matt

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On May 9, 2016 at 11:03 AM, flyfishinglife said:

I've owned a 2001 HPX T for 13 years. I live in MD but spend four months on Pine Island each winter. I had never been on a V prior to buying my T but I have since gotten a chance to fish an HPX V in the Keys. I agree with Bill's comments, the T doesn't handle a chop well, but it's performance in shallow water is something to behold. I find I can run shallow all up the West side of Pine Island in shallow water, avoid the choppy sound, and get pretty much anywhere I want to go. I cross the sound on light wind days and leave it alone when the wind is blowing. The T allows you to head out during negative low tides and reach places where you rarely find other boats, maybe a kayak or two. I have a 6' power pole, and I just repowered with a new F70. I also have a bow mount MK remote control trolling motor plus a bow platform. The TM meant an additional Optima D31 onboard. As you can see, I'm not going for minimal weight but she still floats plenty shallow. I fish alone mostly from bow using the TM and only pole it when fishing buddies show up. I highly recommend the power pole, I use it many times each fishing day in shallow water. It's really helpful on days when the wind will push you right into the fish and spook them, plus you can slow down and cover water more carefully. And the PP is great when you just need to sit down and change up your fishing gear without drifting around. I often use the PP with the TM on low speed to cock the boat at whatever angle is best for the situation. The T is an amazing boat if you love shallow water and sight fishing, especially fly fishing. Overall though, the V is certainly a more versatile skiff.

 

 

I just returned from tarpon fishing near Pine Island last week. We had 2 boats with 2 guys on each. We went 10 for 15 on poons in 2 days!  Simply amazing fishing!

Then the cool front moved thru and there wasn't a poon to be caught anywhere. It's unbelievable how quickly it can change!

Matt

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Not to get this any more complicated but you might consider a micro if you can find one. It's skinny and has a little v so it run in a light chop pretty well. We love ours. We cab run with the tunnels in the lagoon everyday we are down there and run across Florida bay in a chop. You just have to trim the nose down a little.

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7 hours ago, Headhunter said:

Not to get this any more complicated but you might consider a micro if you can find one. It's skinny and has a little v so it run in a light chop pretty well. We love ours. We cab run with the tunnels in the lagoon everyday we are down there and run across Florida bay in a chop. You just have to trim the nose down a little.

Hi

You must have missed my post above. I've already purchased a 2006 HPXT, and I love it so far!  

Matt

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