To us, "Dropping In" means making the commitment and pulling the trigger on something you’re really excited about and usually just a little afraid of, too!

What once seemed like a pipe dream became reality for one Florida-based couple, when they decided to spend more time on the water than on land. They spent five years cruising aboard their 65ft trawler, but space became an issue, so they transitioned to a power catamaran—and chose the Horizon PC60 as the perfect option.

We caught up with Bud and Kim after Bud's visit to the Horizon shipyard for the sea trial of their brand new PC60, which they have christened Dropping In, to learn more about what makes the Horizon Power Catamaran the best choice for their lifestyle.

Q: Tell us about your boating background?

A: We both grew up on the beach in Florida and have always loved being on boats. Bud has surfed all his life and we are both avid divers and fishermen. We owned ski boats over the years and chartered sailing catamarans in the Bahamas and BVIs for family vacations when our kids were growing up. Several years ago we made the decision to spend more time on the water, and purchased a 65ft trawler. We spent the last five years cruising The Bahamas, Turks & Caicos, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, and the Virgin Islands.

Q: What drew you to Horizon Power Catamarans?

A: We had long admired many of the South African catamaran designs. Power catamarans offer speed not available in the trawler—turning overnight crossings into daylight runs with acceptable fuel burn. We knew of Horizon’s build quality and use of quality kit. We talked extensively with the Horizon Power Catamaran team about how they oversee build quality. Then we experienced the roominess of the boat, the thoughtful layout—including the engine rooms/wiring/plumbing—the large tender for fishing/diving/water sports, and the overall seakeeping, and we decided to take the leap and build our brand new PC60.

Bud is an engineer, and to him there are quality and design issues that simply subsume some decisions. If we have to take apart the engine to do an oil change or if inferior components are used, that is simply a non-starter. Our trawler was extremely well designed and constructed so on that front we were very happy. It did not, however, have enough space to comfortably accommodate three or four couples—or potential grandchildren! Also, because we run the boat ourselves, getting a larger trawler was not practical. With four staterooms, a spacious salon, galley and cockpit, the Horizon PC60 offered everything we were looking for. But it also came with incredible storage.

Now we can easily store our scuba tanks, fishing equipment, water toys and provisions. We love to cook all types of meals and we eat almost every meal onboard. Cooking onboard and hosting family and friends for months at a time necessitates extensive pre-departure provisioning and the PC60 has room to hold fresh, frozen, canned and dry goods—not to mention, lots of wine!—in multiple refrigerators, a large deep freezer, and in storage spaces throughout the boat.

Q: How do you plan to use your new PowerCat?

A: We plan to spend at least three continuous months cruising onboard every spring, with smaller trips during the rest of the year. We’ll continue cruising The Bahamas and Turks and Caicos with longer trips planned for Mexico, Belize, Guatamala, Roatan, Jamaica, Cayman Islands, Bay Islands, the Windward Islands and Panama.

We will outfit the new cat with a dive compressor and fishing gear and look forward to enjoying day fishing trips—thanks to the PowerCat’s 18-knot cruising speed!

Bud and Kim recently took delivery of their brand new Dropping In—stay tuned as we check in with them throughout their travels!

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