When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Pathfinder 2200 Tournament Edition Saltwater 2012 and the Pathfinder 2300 HPS 2011 are modified vee designs with fiberglass construction — the buying decision usually comes down to a handful of practical questions: how many people are you putting on the water, how far do you trailer, and what does your tow vehicle weigh?
On paper these two are close siblings in the size department — Pathfinder 2200 Tournament Edition Saltwater 2012 at 21,8 ft versus Pathfinder 2300 HPS 2011 at 23,5 ft. Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Pathfinder 2200 Tournament Edition Saltwater 2012 tips the scales at 285 lbs — 282 lbs more than the Pathfinder 2300 HPS 2011 at 3 lbs. That difference is meaningful if you're working within a half-ton or three-quarter-ton truck's tow rating, especially once you factor in a motor, gear, and fuel.
The power gap is worth calling out. Rated to 300 hp, the Pathfinder 2300 HPS 2011 has a 50-hp advantage over the Pathfinder 2200 Tournament Edition Saltwater 2012's 250-hp ceiling — enough to notice on acceleration and at cruising speed, particularly with a full passenger load. Both carry nearly identical fuel loads — 6 gal and 6 gal — so range won't be a tiebreaker here.
For family outings this is probably the sharpest distinction between the two. The Pathfinder 2300 HPS 2011 is rated for 8 passengers, while the Pathfinder 2200 Tournament Edition Saltwater 2012 caps at 7. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Pathfinder 2300 HPS 2011 could be the deciding factor.
Bottom line: Choose the Pathfinder 2300 HPS 2011 if your priority is putting more people on the water — it handles 8 passengers and at 23,5 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The Pathfinder 2200 Tournament Edition Saltwater 2012 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 7 that costs less to run day-to-day.