2022 2300 HPS

[stosiak]

Just got my 2300 HPS and looking to add a bunch of stuff and have some questions for owners.

1 The manual states that there is a plate in the mold on the bow to tap 1/4 20 bolts for trolling motor so you don't have to use nuts. Member Vaper Trail1 has a write up where he has a heck of a time getting to the nuts holding the trolling motor mount. His boat was a 2600 TRS in 2019.

2 I was using a mirror to see the wiring going to the the stern to make a game plan to pull wires for transducer an such, and I noticed a 3" rigging tube.  The only wires in the tube are the battery cables and steering lines, all the rest of the wiring is routed next to the tube. I can't see why all the wires are not in the tube as there is plenty of room?

3 I told my dealer that I needed 2 bilge pumps and wanted them installed when the boat was built. That didn't happen and was told it was the factories fault as it was on the order. So is there wiring for an additional bilge pump or will I have to pull my own? This is going to be a challenge as I now have to drill a through hull for the hose with no room to work. 

Thanks

[AFE CUMMINS 6.7]

Hi Stosiak,

Congratulations on your new boat!

1. I’m not sure in regards to the plate; I’m fairly certain mine is through bolted w/ washers and nylock nuts. 
 

2. This may be to make re-rigging easier when re-powering and also so it does not damage the electrical wires. 
 

3. There is a bus bar mounted in the rear of the boat as this is where my power poles are connected too, but this is also controlled by the main battery switch. If you need direct wiring to the battery you may have to pull your own wire, but Pathfinder has pull cords to help with pulling wires. 
 

In regards to #3 being on the order form, it sounds like you reviewed options with dealer, did dealer review options with MBG? My Powerpoles were installed at the dealership which requires drilling holes to run hydraulic hoses from poles to pump. Maybe it’s not mounting a through hull fitting on the side of the hull where the current bilge outlet is located, but maybe you could run the through hull where you have access from the bilge? 

[redzone1]

1) yes there is a plate.  I still use a big washer and lock nut and through bolt mine.

2)  can’t answer that one.

3). You don’t need to drill through the hull for the additional bilge pump hose…..just put a Y on the exiting bilge hose and tie the 2nd pump hose into that one.

[Bamaskeet]

10 hours ago, redzone1 said:

1) yes there is a plate.  I still use a big washer and lock nut and through bolt mine.

2)  can’t answer that one.

3). You don’t need to drill through the hull for the additional bilge pump hose…..just put a Y on the exiting bilge hose and tie the 2nd pump hose into that one.

Number 3 is a bad idea.  You don’t want bilge pumps sharing outlet hoses because it lowers the capacity of both pumps.

[stosiak]

Thanks for the replies I'm sure I'll have more. Working on it in winter weather under shrink wrap, pics will come later.

[BradM]

On 1/19/2022 at 8:26 PM, AFE CUMMINS 6.7 said:

Hi Stosiak,

Congratulations on your new boat!

1. I’m not sure in regards to the plate; I’m fairly certain mine is through bolted w/ washers and nylock nuts. 
 

2. This may be to make re-rigging easier when re-powering and also so it does not damage the electrical wires. 
 

3. There is a bus bar mounted in the rear of the boat as this is where my power poles are connected too, but this is also controlled by the main battery switch. If you need direct wiring to the battery you may have to pull your own wire, but Pathfinder has pull cords to help with pulling wires. 
 

In regards to #3 being on the order form, it sounds like you reviewed options with dealer, did dealer review options with MBG? My Powerpoles were installed at the dealership which requires drilling holes to run hydraulic hoses from poles to pump. Maybe it’s not mounting a through hull fitting on the side of the hull where the current bilge outlet is located, but maybe you could run the through hull where you have access from the bilge? 

To echo the trolling motor bolts, my 2018 was drilled and tapped, but had a horrible wobble while in use. In haste, I pulled the machine screws and reinstalled with blue Loctite, which worked for a few more trips. I suppose the constant stress and multidirectional pull on the unit works it loose pretty quick. I went ahead and drilled through the plate and installed longer machine screws, big fender washer and nylock nuts. She's good to go now and has been since I did that. The anchor locker is close enough to where you need to get, that I was able to do it with a standard wrench on the bottom side. Good luck on the rest....My trolling motor cables are also outside of the tube, which I didn't care to correct. I did epoxy some cable stays through out the hull so I could zip-tie them up and away from the anchor chain/rope. 

[SCFD rtrd.]

1. Yes, there is an aluminum backing plate to mount your trolling motor. Look under the front deck, from inside the anchor locker. You'll see a lowered area in the fiberglass. This is where the aluminum plate is located. No problem thru-bolting, but you'll need someone on the outside to hold a wrench on the bolts, while you are head and shoulders deep in the anchor locker. A good light and mirror will help. If you are mounting one of those puck style mounts, then disregard the rest. If you are mounting a longer mount as for a hand control trolling motor, then you'll need to use the rubber bumpers between the deck and mount or you can substitute some 3/16" rubber strips. This deck are appears somewhat flat, but it actually has an arc (front to back) and it leans to the starboard, so you could easily torque a longer trolling motor mount to the point that you can't lock or unlock the TM from the mount. 

2. When you pull the transducer cable, try to avoid any other electrical wiring. Other electrical wiring will produce noise or interference that can adversely effect the signal. Look for an alternate path to pull the transducer cable, far away form other elect. wiring. I pulled mine over the fuel tank, right through the center of the boat. 

3. With regard to the second bilge pump: you probably have several unused switches in your switch plate. For instance, one might be for a second or third live-well pump or bubbler. These are standard from the factory and if unused, they will be switched and terminated in the bilge area for future use. Look for a Dautch connector in the bilge, usually attached under the rear deck. Test to see if it is hot when the switch is activated. This is the easy way out, but not the preferred method. Ideally, what you want in a second bilge pump is two independent systems, that have separate switches, batteries, wiring and discharges. My second bilge pump runs off one of my trolling motor batteries.  You can easily drill a drain hole through the transom above the boarding platform for the second bilge discharge. I'll try to find a pic for you.

Congrats on the new ride, we need pics. 

[stosiak]

Thanks for all the replies that helps a lot. Here are a few more questions.

(1) I installed a B175hw thru hull transducer for high speed. I have a 1977 17 ft Mako now with a transom mounted transducer that shows DI at 25 mph which is really nice. Can I expect to have the same performance with the stepped hull design as the Mako when just cruising. Never seen a stepped hull perform, does it always aerate the water under the boat or just at higher speeds. I've always had good luck at installing transom transducers with out any image problems. There is a lot of talk about how it won't work but I've read that before on other hulls and I've been able to get it right.   Just looking for cruising performance that's all. 

(2) With the jack plate I've read about a hole shot plate helping and stopping water from entering the boat. Anyone using the hole shot plate.

[SCFD rtrd.]

With regard to the transom mounted transducer; the stepped hull is designed to introduce air to the last half of the boat to reduce friction, thus better performance and a lot of air bubbles passing by the transom. Not sure, but I suspect that the air is not introduced until the boat is on plane, which will happen when you reach about 30 mph. 

I don't know what a "hole shot plate" is, but I've never had water enter my boat from the engine/transom area. 

[BradM]

On 1/25/2022 at 6:28 PM, stosiak said:

Thanks for all the replies that helps a lot. Here are a few more questions.

(1) I installed a B175hw thru hull transducer for high speed. I have a 1977 17 ft Mako now with a transom mounted transducer that shows DI at 25 mph which is really nice. Can I expect to have the same performance with the stepped hull design as the Mako when just cruising. Never seen a stepped hull perform, does it always aerate the water under the boat or just at higher speeds. I've always had good luck at installing transom transducers with out any image problems. There is a lot of talk about how it won't work but I've read that before on other hulls and I've been able to get it right.   Just looking for cruising performance that's all. 

(2) With the jack plate I've read about a hole shot plate helping and stopping water from entering the boat. Anyone using the hole shot plate.

Pretty sure I replied to these same questions on your Facebook post, specifically the hole shot plate question. 

 

SCFD, the hole shot plate attaches to the bottom of the jack plate and essentially keeps the jack plate from acting like a scoop when taking off from a stop or slow speed. The idea is quicker plaining speed due to less water induced drag. It would also keep water from shooting back up through the gap between the jack plate and transom when you come off plane quickly. I've found that almost no matter what you do, short of turning port or starboard, water is going to come up over the bustle portion of the transom, but not into the boat.

You can easily test the hole shot plate necessity by stuffing a deflated basketball or football in the gap and slightly inflating it to stay in place. I mean all you're trying to do is keep the water out. I've thought of making my own plate, but just don't see the reward being worth the effort of either buying or building one. 

[TerryS]

We put the plate on our 22 TRS , stops water from flooding the deck when I have to power off the the trailer hard  at my flat shallow ramp at low tide 

I would get a little bit of porpoising In  the mid range under heavy acceleration that I could control with the tabs , I don’t need to do that now with the plate. But every hull has a different set back so I don’t know if it will have the same effect on the 23 or even the 22 TE which has less set back than a TRS