Boats

Boat Test: 2023 Jupiter 40

The Jupiter 40 is a brawny center-console built to take on the biggest seas.

By Jim Hendricks

April 10, 2023

The Jupiter 40 serves up a smooth ride. Courtesy Jupiter Marine

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.

The dash features three Garmin multifunction displays. Courtesy Jupiter Marine

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.

The transom is outfitted with a seating pad and backrest. Courtesy Jupiter Marine

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.

There’s plenty of space for fishing or entertaining. Courtesy Jupiter Marine

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