All posts by: Horizon Power Catamarans

Horizon Yachts Founder and CEO John Lu Wins Lifetime Achievement Award

Horizon Yachts founder and CEO John Lu has been honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2022 Boat Builder Awards. Sponsored by IBI, METS Trade and Raymarine, the annual Boat Builder Awards celebrates the leisure marine sector’s top talent, innovations and business achievements. This year’s gala dinner and celebration was held Tuesday, November 15th at the Amsterdam Maritime Museum’s historic amphitheater in The Netherlands, where 13 winners and two Honorable Mentions were selected from a nominee pool of 32 companies from 16 countries.

“I am extremely honored to be recognized with the Lifetime Achievement Award,” says John. “Building Horizon from a humble Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) to a world-class yacht builder has been a collaborative effort with a talented staff of engineers and naval architects for whom I’m very grateful.”

READ JOHN’S STORY

John Lu’s dream of being a boat builder first took shape in the 1980s. John studied naval architecture at the National Taiwan Ocean University and interned for Kha Shing Enterprise Co. Ltd. That internship progressed to the position of chief engineer, after which John worked as a yacht surveyor. But his entrepreneurial spirit was strong, and in 1987, John purchased a 219,000 square foot parcel of foreclosed land next door to the Kha Shing shipyard and convinced a few contractors and friends to join his ragtag team.

John began by building 40 – 60ft yachts with hand-laid FRP for the European and U.S. market and steadily progressed into building a successful series of motor yachts under the Elegance yachts moniker for the European market.

With each market twist and turn, John did his research, studying trends, historical and cultural data, and focused on constant improvement, investment and innovation. In 2000, he created the Horizon Group comprised of separate departments overseeing specific areas of construction. This included Atech Composites, which produced the yacht hulls using the SCRIMP infusion method. When the 2008 financial crisis hit, Horizon stayed afloat – thanks to John’s focus on keeping the company privately owned and debt-free. In 2009, John pivoted from being an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) and building on demand for global dealers and took the leap to establish Horizon Yachts as its own brand presence.

John’s daily influence continued as the Horizon Yachts brand grew with award-winning yacht builds and the establishment of a Horizon Yachts office in the U.S., another in Australia, and representation in Europe. In 2016 John took yet another risk and contracted the world-renowned yacht designer, Cor D. Rover, which led to the creation of the Fast Displacement yacht series and pioneered the high-volume yacht trend adopted by other yacht builders around the world.

Innovation and investment continued, as Horizon’s Atech Composites created a 6D resin infusion process and began implementing Non-Destructive Testing Methods borrowed from the aerospace industry into its builds in 2020. Focused on the cornerstones of Innovation, Technology, Customization and Collaboration, Horizon further distinguishes itself from the competition by collaborating with its experienced owners, which leads to innovative yacht features and new yacht series.

Horizon Yachts remains a privately-owned company that consistently ranks among the world’s Top 10 yacht builders. The company employs 800 people, many of whom have remained with John since the beginning. A recent $15M expansion has added a 107,000sqft state-of-the-art facility that streamlines production of Horizon’s seven yacht series ranging from 52 – 150 feet in length, of which over 890 have been built to date.

Hot off the Press

Presently, the most popular in the Horizon Power Catamarans series, hull 24 of the PC60 is on debut at FLIBS 2021.  The owners christened this custom yacht ‘Mangata” which is Swedish for ‘Moon light on the water’.

This yachts’ 24ft beam comes into its own as you enter the salon and experience the expansive open living space with island galley.  To achieve the unique rich wood color, Horizons’ craftsmen presented an exquisite Crown Cut Walnut.  This complimented the owners choice of Polarstone countertops and handmade starburst marble galley bar front.  The attention to detail of this owners interior choices extended to the creation of the custom ottoman and ceiling inlays.

Down 5 stairs to starboard, enter into the master stateroom. Turning aft, is a large comfortable head and shower with undermount his and her basins, with ample storage and elegant lighting.  Moving forward the owner has a side by side Miele washer and separate dryer, together with hanging closets and drawers for personal items.  The owners stateroom is appointed with a king bed and a beautiful large hull window.  Fully airconditioned for balmy summer months, but an opening hatch & ports gives one the option to allow the cool fresh air through the boat if preferred. 

To port, there is a VIP guest king stateroom forward and an aft Twin stateroom that can convert to a queen. Both cabins have their own en-suite head with separate shower.  Numerous accents and customization can be found throughout this magnificent yacht, with the owners use of tile, fabrics and hard wood floors. Both staterooms and both shower/ heads offer opening ports and hatches with plenty of natural light.

Large opening double doors lead out to the incredible aft deck rivalling any 100ft motoryacht with built in Wet Bar, icemaker and fridge.  The dining table has a custom Hi-Gloss starburst teak top and can accommodate 8-10 guests with ease,  with additional lounge seating aft.

The comfortable stairway takes you up to the new extended PC60 Flybridge that can now uniquely accommodate up to a 17’ Luxury Tender with 115Hp engine.  complete with fresh water wash down, BBQ Station and Chest freezer.  Forward into the air-conditioned flybridge there is a walk behind bar with fridge and sink to port.  To Starboard a comfortable L-shaped Sofa with dining table that can move to coffee table level.  A fabulous lay flat lounger to starboard, and a bench seat to port offer ample seating while under way.  The impressive helm console boasts triple 22” Garmin screens making this area a navigators dream.

The awesome visibility from the helm coupled with bow and stern thrusters make maneuvering this yacht a piece of cake.  While docking or anchoring the captain can switch to his Dock Mate remote and do this from the bow or the stern.

Powered by Twin 700HP Cummins and the new 5 blade Veem Propellers, produces a comfortable cruise at 21 while topping out at 27 m/p/h.

Stairway to Heaven

HORIZON VOL. 56
HORIZON LIFE

OWNER EXPERIENCE

After owning and cruising aboard monohulls for decades, these owners built their first Horizon Power Catamaran. But theirs is no ordinary PowerCat; this PC52 is the first to feature a skylounge and internal stairs.

Q. How does your boating story begin?
A. We started boating in 1985, around the same time we started dating. It was on a 14ft aluminum haul with a pull-start motor on the back and we spent our days cruising the Kankakee River and buzzing around the Great Lakes. Over the years we owned a couple of pontoon boats, but didn’t really graduate until we purchased a 43S Azimut in 2011. Then we moved on to a 62S Azimut, which broke down around Mackinac Island and we had to slowly motor around to Walstrom Marine. That is where we found our next boat, a 60ft Hatteras. 

Q. How did you hear about Horizon Power Catamarans?
A. We attended a couple of boat shows up and down the east coast of Florida and always passed by the Horizon Power Catamaran tent. We finally toured the PC60 and were amazed with the beam, which allowed for an open layout and generous interior space. For the next few years we always stopped by the booth. We finally had a sea trial and that’s all it took. We were really impressed.

Q. Was your intention always to build and customize your own boat?
A. We originally started off looking at the preowned catamarans that were available but they didn’t have everything on our wish list. So, we talked with Richard at Horizon PowerCat and started the design process. For her, it was the bathtub; we absolutely had to have a bathtub. The enclosed skylounge and the internal stairs were also a must. It gets chilly during the summer nights on the Great Lakes, so we wanted an enclosed skylounge with internal stairs so we didn’t have to go outside to get upstairs and we could fully enjoy the entire boat during different weather conditions. We didn’t want to have to go outside to get upstairs every time. For him, the mechanics were a high priority, so the added features like the Seatorque Boss drive system and Veem Propellers were important.  

Q. How was the build process? 
A. The build took about a year, and it was fun and went smoothly, although the choices were overwhelming at times! We definitely had a team behind us. We would do some research and Leigh would do her research and then we would come together and go over the different ideas and options.  Sometimes Heidi and Leigh would even come together with the same ideas. For him, working with Richard and the yard helped immensely. Austin and his team helped so much with the stairs and the bathtub – things we could have lived without but didn’t want to.  While COVID-19 restrictions kept us from attending the launch, at the same time we didn’t feel the need to. The communication between everyone was exceptional. We trusted them to build a gorgeous boat and they did. From working together with Richard and Leigh at Horizon PowerCat to working with the yard, it was a great experience overall. 

Q. What was your initial reaction when you got to see your yacht for the first time? 
A. Wow! It felt almost surreal, like we were walking onto someone else’s yacht. The pictures don’t do it justice. It was quite an experience, from the planning and decisions to actually seeing the boat when you walk onboard. We always owned used boats, but with this build there was so much anticipation. We were so pleased with the workmanship, the woodwork – which was phenomenal – and all of the thoughtful extras that came with the boat. We were also floored by the tremendous hospitality and all the wonderful gifts on the christening day. It was our first christening, and our friends Ray and Judy were so happy to be a part of the experience too. 

Q. What are your cruising plans?
A.Florida and Bahamas, particularly the Florida Keys for this winter. We always go by car and every time we wonder what it would be like to arrive by boat. Well, now we can! Then next summer we will take her north up the east coast and into the Great Lakes.

Horizon Power Catamaran Delivers PC60

Built for experienced American owners, this latest PC60 features the latest lithium battery technology.

“A year of intense planning, measuring, technical drawings, photos, floor and wall samples, fabrics, tiles, batteries, generators, pumps, systems, floor plans and more, completely consumed our life while we went through the ‘Christmas List’ of choices and options for our newly-planned Hull 22,” says the owner of the brand new Horizon PowerCat PC60. Christened Homarus in a private ceremony held in Florida, this latest PC60 was commissioned for experienced owners who knew exactly what they wanted on their sixth boat.”

Avid cruisers with commercial fishing experience, (hence the name HOMARUS, the Latin genus of lobster) the owners paid particular attention to the mechanicals of their new yacht and worked with the Horizon team on numerous customizations to accommodate their plans to live aboard year-round, including the installation of a state-of-the-art Dometic Spot Zero watermaking system as well as the latest lithium battery technology.

The owners specified a four-stateroom layout comprised of a full-beam master suite on the main deck, a VIP on suite and twin cabin in the starboard hull, and a twin on suite in the port hull. On the main deck, the owners redesigned the standard galley/bar arrangement in the salon and incorporated a large seating area opposite.

The air-conditioned and enclosed flybridge has been specified with a bar and dayhead opposite a seating and dining area. Space for a stationary exercise bike was also fitted in this space. A BBQ grill and freezer on the boat deck extends the al fresco entertaining options.

Powered by twin Cummins diesels of 705hp each, which afford a range of 551nm @ 18 knots, Homarus will cruise throughout the Bahamas and Caribbean, up the East Coast of the United States and into Canada and back. Upon taking delivery, her owners said, “The incredible detail that has made our vessel a masterpiece could not have been achieved without the meticulous attention by all of the Horizon people, from the office support to the craftsmen. The workmanship in all ways is flawless. The functions impeccable. Living aboard this gem has been a life changer and we pinch ourselves every day that we are spending our days in our sweet new home on the water.”

For more information on the PC60 or other Horizon Power Catamaran models, please contact Richard Ford at +1 954 803 8102 or email richard@powercatco.com.