OnBoard Magazine - Issue XI - Summer 2019

business side of their operations. When Jupiter Marine fell into financial trouble, Carl Herndon swooped in to resuscitate the brand, seeing their incredible potential for success. Herndon’s experience included being the President of Bertram Yachts, and founding CEO of Blackfin Yacht Corp. He knew boats and he knew business management, and he was poised to catapult the Jupiter brand to the next level. Over the next two decades, Jupiter expanded at their Fort Lauderdale plant before acquiring their current facility on the Gulf Coast in Palmetto, Florida. This plant has also undergone expansions to keep up with customer demand and the ever-evolving Jupiter product line which today spans from 25’ to 43’. “Even with seven models currently offered, including a bay boat and an sport bridge, Jupiter hasn’t deviated from the original Posi-stern Hull Pad Bottom that made us famous,” Ares explains. Jupiter’s proven hull form can’t take all the credit for their 30 years of success though. Management expertise from Carl Herndon along with design and construction know- how from his son Craig have played a role in the company’s steady growth in the market. Jupiter has also progressed from serving a niche market to having an incredibly broad customer base that includes families, fishermen, owners of large sportfish boats and even superyacht owners. TRIED & TRUE PERFORMANCE A Jupiter boat can dominate rough seas and provide comfort to her operator and guests while running to the fishing grounds or island hopping with the family—but the benefits don’t stop there. Many potential owners are blown away during a Jupiter sea trial when the throttles are pinned and the Yamaha outboards spring to life instantly putting the boat on plane within a couple seconds. The astounding performance of these boats cannot be summed up in a single word (colorful metaphors aside), mainly because so much goes in to making every Jupiter perform so remarkably well. Conventional stepped hulls are touted as being more efficient and faster, but these benefits are only available in a narrow band of higher RPM. Jupiter Marine’s Posi-stern Hull Pad Bottom offers stepped hull efficiency over a very broad range and is partly responsible for all Jupiter models being quick on plane. The other contributing factor to Jupiter’s performance and close-quarter handling are the Yamaha outboards perched beyond the transom. Through the years, Jupiter has developed such a strong relationship with Yamaha that their boats are most often sought out for R&D and initial testing of Yamaha’s latest motors and props. For over two years, Yamaha has operated four Jupiter models equipped with their latest engine innovation: the 425 horsepower XTO. These Jupiter boats, including a quad Yamaha XTO equipped 43 SF have logged thousands of hours on their newest engine, further solidifying Yamaha’s confidence in offering a full 5-year warranty on this powerful new V8 outboard. Yamaha favors Jupiter models as test boats for their engines and props because of Jupiter’s unique hull pad bottom. This is expressly unique because their design has been imitated many times over by other builders throughout the years, but Jupiter is unaware of any manufacturer matching the performance and benefits of their trademark Posi-stern Hull Pad Bottom. Craig Herndon and team members in 2018 37 SUMMER 2019