Boat & Sail

Builder · Tournament · Palmetto, Florida

Jupiter

Florida tournament-grade builder, 1989-founded. Famous for stepped-hull tournament center consoles. Family-held throughout.

Jupiter center console at offshore cruise
Founded
1989
Headquarters
Palmetto, Florida
Ownership
Private, family-held
Tier
Tournament
Website
jupitermarine.com

Jupiter is the family-held tournament-grade offshore center-console builder from Palmetto, Florida. Founded in 1989, the brand pioneered the use of stepped-hull forms in offshore tournament center consoles. The lineup runs from the 26 HFS through the 43 SP flagship, all built around variations of the stepped-hull discipline.

The brand argument is the stepped hull and the dry running at speed. Jupiter hulls give a top-end speed and fuel efficiency advantage at offshore cruise that flat-bottomed comparable hulls cannot match. Tournament fishermen on the East Coast and Gulf cross-shop Jupiter against Yellowfin and Contender on the same canyon-fishing use case.

Lineup

Current platforms.

Model breakdown

Each platform, what it does and where it falls short.

Jupiter HFS / SF series (26 / 30 / 32 / 38)

HFS (Hybrid Fishing Sport) and SF (Sportfish) make up the volume offshore line. Twin to triple Yamaha or Mercury rigging. The 32 HFS is the volume tournament hull.

Things we like

  • · Stepped-hull form gives 2 to 4-knot top-end advantage and 8 to 12 percent fuel-burn reduction at cruise
  • · Tournament-circuit credibility supports a tight resale floor

Things we don't

  • · Stepped-hull form means more cleaning and inspection at the step transitions
  • · Pricing premium over Contender and Yellowfin at equivalent rigging

Jupiter SP series (38 / 41 / 43 SP)

SP is the flagship line. Quad Mercury Verado 600 V12 or Yamaha XTO 425 V8 outboards, full forward cabin, mezzanine seating, helm pod.

Things we like

  • · Quad-V12 600 rigging on the 43 SP holds 38-knot cruise with documented dry running
  • · Forward cabin with master stateroom on the 43

Things we don't

  • · Pricing competes with HCB and Tiara LX at the flagship segment
  • · Quad-engine maintenance runs four service intervals per season

Buyer's guide

The Jupiter story and what to know on the used market.

Origin and ownership

Jupiter was founded in 1989 in Palmetto, Florida. The brand pioneered stepped-hull forms in offshore tournament center consoles and became one of the dominant tournament hulls on the East Coast and Gulf through the 2000s and 2010s.

The brand has stayed family-held throughout. Production has stayed in Palmetto, single-site.

Design philosophy

The Jupiter hull form uses single or twin transverse steps in the running surface to reduce wetted area at planing speed. Transom deadrise runs 24 to 26 degrees on the offshore line. The step geometry was refined across the 2010s with documented owner-mechanic forum threads tracking the cutover years.

Yamaha and Mercury are both factory options. The 43 SP can be ordered with quad Mercury Verado 600 V12 outboards, which is unusual at this LOA outside HCB.

Construction uses hand-laid fiberglass with composite stringers across all current production. Build queue runs moderate volume.

Used-market notes and known issues

Yamaha F300 V6 cylinder-wall corrosion pattern on pre-2018 hulls warrants an inspection on any used Jupiter without documented annual fresh-water flush.

Pre-2017 stepped-hull geometry on 32 HFS hulls had documented stability concerns at low planing speeds. The 2017 redesign tightened the step and resolves it.

Hardtop hardware on 2018 to 2020 hulls in salt-heavy markets shows pitting at the rear stanchion mounts.

Dealer network concentrated in Florida and the Gulf, mid-density on the East Coast.

Resale

Jupiter holds resale among the strongest in the tournament-grade segment. Three-year depreciation runs 8 to 14 percent on clean hulls. Five-year depreciation runs 20 to 28 percent.

Where Jupiter fits

Buyers cross-shop Jupiter against Yellowfin, Contender, and Regulator on the tournament-grade segment. The argument for Jupiter is the stepped-hull form (top-end speed and cruise efficiency). Buyers who prefer non-stepped hull discipline should look at Contender or Regulator. Tournament fishermen who prioritize top-end speed and fuel efficiency buy Jupiter.

FAQ

Frequently asked.

What does the stepped hull do?
Reduces wetted area at planing speed by introducing one or two transverse breaks in the running surface. The result is 2 to 4 knots of top-end speed advantage and 8 to 12 percent fuel-burn reduction at cruise versus a non-stepped comparable. The trade is more complex hull cleaning and inspection at the step transitions.
How does Jupiter compare to Yellowfin?
Jupiter uses a stepped hull form; Yellowfin uses a non-stepped sharp deep-V. Jupiter gives top-end speed and fuel efficiency at cruise; Yellowfin gives a smoother slow-troll attitude. Resale is comparable. Cross-shop on hull-form preference and tournament-circuit familiarity.
What's the maintenance cost on a 32 HFS?
Annual service on triple Yamaha F300 V6 outboards runs $2,700 to $3,600. Bottom paint $600 to $1,200. Storage $2,500 to $6,000. Insurance for a $400,000 hull runs $2,800 to $4,800. Total seasonal cost runs $9,500 to $15,000 outside of fuel.
Where are Jupiters built?
Palmetto, Florida. Single-site, family-owned production.

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