Boat Test: 2023 Jupiter 40
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Overview
In a crowded field of 40-something center-console fishing boats, the Jupiter 40 stands out as one of the most impressive. It is also the first boat I’ve run with the new Yamaha 450 XTO V-8 outboards. Jupiter’s 40 features a conventional V-hull (meaning no steps) with a 39-foot-11-inch length overall, nearly 12-foot beam, 24 degrees of deadrise at the transom, and a Posi-Stern hull-pad design. Dry weight with engines is 16,000 pounds, yet we achieved a top speed of 57.3 mph while smoothly traversing tightly spaced 2- to 3-foot seas.
Interior and Accessories
Jupiter builds in durability with composite PVC coring (meaning no wood to rot), a fiberglass and foam-filled uni-grid stringer system, and vacuum-infused vinylester construction. Separating the transom bulkhead from the motors is a transom platform that lets you walk from one side of the boat to the other.
Anglers will love the 60-gallon pressurized transom livewell with a viewing window (and a seating pad and backrest), twin 100-gallon insulated fish boxes under the aft cockpit sole, a 126-gallon forward insulated fish box, and the port-side door that lets you slide aboard a big fish. There was also a 48-gallon cooler/bait freezer under the aft-facing bench abaft the three-across helm seats on our test boat.
An inviting lounger for two adorns the forward console, and the bow features a pair of lounges with integral backrests. Accessed from the port side, the roomy console interior offers over 6 ½ feet of headroom, a 7-foot-long berth, a mini galley, a hanging locker, and a separate head compartment with a shower, vanity, sink and electric marine toilet.
A curved acrylic windshield complements the hardtop, and the dash features three Garmin multifunction displays—a 24-inch MFD in the middle and 16-inch MFDs on each side. There is also a helm compartment to starboard that lifts open to reveal the Yamaha Helm Master EX joystick. Even in a crowded field of 40-somethings, the Jupiter 40 is hard to ignore. Check one out, and you’ll see why.
How We Tested
- Engines: Triple Yamaha 450 XTOs
- Drive/Prop: Outboard/Yamaha XTO EC 16 3/8” x 22″ (outside); 16 3/8” x 21″ (center) 3-blade stainless steel
- Gear Ratio: 1.79:1 Fuel Load: 500 gal. Crew Weight: 600 lb.
High Points
- This big, brawny, 40-foot deep-V center-console is built to take on the biggest seas.
- Composite materials (no wood) and resin-infused construction help ensure years of durability.
- Console cabin with a 7-foot-long berth, galley and head provides overnighting comfort.
Low Points
- Full-height acrylic windshield is nice, but we’d like the option of a three-sided glass windshield for more protection from spray-laden winds on the beam.
Toughest Competitor
Regulator’s 41 (starting at $1,235,995 with quad Yamaha 425 XTOs) is another standout 40-something center-console. Like the Jupiter 40, it has a deluxe console cabin and a deep-V hull.
Pricing and Specs
| Price: | $1,154,045 (as tested) |
| LOA: | 39’11” |
| Beam: | 11’11” |
| Draft: | 3’3″ (motors down) |
| Displacement: | 16,000 lb. (with power) |
| Transom Deadrise: | 24 degrees |
| Bridge Clearance: | 12’10” |
| Fuel Capacity: | 500 gal. |
| Max Horsepower: | 1,350 |
| Available Power: | Mercury or Yamaha outboards up to 1,350 hp total |
Speed, Efficiency, Operation
Jupiter Marine – Palmetto, Florida; 941-729-5000; jupitermarine.com
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