Horizon’s new FD80 is perhaps the quintessential vessel from this well-respected builder of seaworthy and luxurious motoryachts. At 80 feet, 7 inches, she fits right in the middle of the Kaohsiung, Taiwan, builder’s range. She is a typically burly boat for this size as well, displacing just shy of 200,000 pounds. Like so many Horizons before her, the sense when you step aboard—as cliché as it may be—is that she feels like a much bigger boat. I’d mark it closer to a 95-footer, personally.
Stepping into the cockpit, the first thing I noticed was the multiple Fusion speakers pumping out crisp, downtempo electronic beats. Not my taste of music, but I can certainly appreciate the sound quality. The tunes fell upon a wide-open space with an alfresco dining settee, as well as a refrigerator, grill, and dayhead to port. Cleverly, the door to the dayhead opens to block winds careening down the side deck toward guests lounging in the cockpit. Anytime we have fewer napkins flying up off the dinner table and into the drink, I approve.
Pleasingly heavy folding doors open over a flush deck providing entrance to the salon where Horizon’s in-house design team created a space typical of this builder’s brand. The salon is warm and inviting, cozy, livable. Polar bear-style seats and sofas dotted the deck, a personal favorite of mine. A large drop-down television to starboard is there if you’re the kind of person who likes to watch TV on a boat. (I judge.) You could easily make yourself at home in this space during the long passages this yacht was designed to undertake. A galley with Miele appliances and a large center countertop forward speaks to an American audience with entertaining at the forefront of their minds. A nearly full-sized wine fridge to starboard also speaks to this yacht’s entertaining prowess.
The FD80’s main-deck master offers excellent vistas through rectangular windows to port and starboard. Two full-height cedar hanging lockers are good for stowing more fancy clothes while storage nearly everywhere you look, again hints at this boat’s propensity for longer journeys. A pocket door leads to the en suite head which has a roomy shower and enough counter space that no one will be grumbling while they get ready for dinner.
Down below, the Horizon has three staterooms, including one with an interesting layout in the forepeak. Here scissoring twin berths look like they’d be more at home on a sportfish. However, they are able to be pushed together to form one larger berth. The en suite head in this stateroom is notably large, including a shower with 7 feet of headroom. Mirroring en suite guest cabins amidships round out the deck. My impression on the accommodations level was that they weren’t trying to reinvent the wheel here—but then again, keeping Horizon’s long-term success in mind, why would they?
Moving up the boat and onto the bridge deck, one is met with a helm station that would make most any captain smile. A reverse-rake windshield offers excellent sightlines, while at the dash the skipper has access to a bevy of Garmin screens, bow and stern thrusters, Zipwake trim tabs, and a screen that electronically accesses all of the yacht’s systems.
Aft of the helm a wet bar with an icemaker and refrigerator is to port opposite a dining settee for meals when the weather isn’t cooperating. The after portion of the bridge deck is alfresco and features a grill to port and a Jacuzzi on centerline with three barstools and a small bar just forward of it. A davit all the way aft handles tender duties.
All of these accoutrements are well and good, but Horizon owners are known to be serious folks, and they’ll want to know about the engine room. It is reached via a crew space for three which will be of use if you’re not an owner-operator. The ER itself houses twin 1600-horsepower Caterpillar C32As in a robustly proportioned space that features excellent access to all work points. These powerful engines offer the yacht a top end of 22 knots while cruise is recommended to be 18. Those are relatively spritely numbers for a yacht this big, but then again, when you go for a Horizon, it’s never just about onboard comfort, but real-world performance as well.
Horizon FD80 Specifications:
LOA: 80’ 7”
Beam: 22’ 6”
Draft: 5’ 7”
Displ.: 202,830 lb.
Fuel: 2,700 gal.
Water: 400 gal.
Power: 2/1,600-hp MTU 10V2000 M96L
This article originally appeared in the April 2026 issue of Power & Motoryacht magazine.
