Every so often, a yacht like the Horizon 108 comes along that is so right, so well conceived and executed, that I have to stand back and admire it as a fine piece of art. This Horizon 108 is just such a case and, for once, I know precisely why she turned out so well. As with most yacht projects, it begins with the potential owner. In this case, the owner had built a Horizon 82 and, based on that experience, knew exactly what he wanted in a larger version. Next came Horizon America of North Palm Beach, Florida, the Eastern importer of Horizon yachts. The company had worked with the owner on his first 82 and, with that past positive experience, they were able to bring their own expertise to bear. Then there was Horizon Yachts, which has built a reputation not only for high-quality construction but also,and just as important, for the flexibility to meet the needs of the owner. The last part of this particular puzzle was the owners friend, an experienced yacht owner with the skills of a captain. Though he disdains the title of captain, he served as a consultant and project manager on the build, making several trips to the Horizon yard during construction. While others contributed the broad strokes of the brush, he brought many details to the project that completed the masterwork.
Horizon has a set of plans for a 105-footer with three staterooms, but the owner of this yacht wanted four, plus upscale crew quarters. The team doodled on paper over and over and couldnt quite get what they wanted until three feet were added to stretch the yacht to 108 feet. In the process, they created enough space for four cabins plus the larger crew quarters on the lower deck, expanded the aft deck lounge, and added length to both the boat deck and bridge.
One of the owners requirements was for a yacht capable of large-scale entertaining and, by stretching the normal swim platform, the tender can be chocked on the platform to free up the boat deck for guests. By leaving the tender on the platform, there is also room to hoist a golf cart onto the upper deck for shoreside transportation.
The aft deck was also affected by the party edict, with the salon bulkhead moved forward so a bar could be placed on the starboard side without constricting guest movements. But, by making the salon door curved, the room seems to remain undiminished.
With nearly 24 feet of beam, the salon is spacious in spite of comfortably sized side decks. A curving settee and a recliner chair face a 50-inch pop-up TV in the starboard counter, and two tropical bucket chairs can be moved in for conversation. Overhead, a spectacular ceiling treatment uses fiber optics to create the effect of the night sky.
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The interior of this 108 is quarter-sawn cherry with a high-gloss finish, complemented by burled accents inlaid into the built-in furniture and mullions. Crown molding was added throughout the yacht to create a finished and home-like appearance and, as I've come to expect on a Horizon, the joinery and furniture is impeccable.
