Horizon AC80 Catamaran to launch at Sanctuary Cove Boat Show

by HMYA on 13 Mar 2012 Horizon Motor Yachts Australia are excited to announce the AC80 Catamaran will be debuting in Australia as a new stock vessel at this year's Sanctuary Cove International Boat show.

If your dreaming of cruising anywhere in the world without limitation? Then Horizon AC80 Catamaran is the right choice for you. Comparing with the mono-hull vessel in the same size, the twin hull design of Horizon AC80 provides superior stability, faster acceleration and higher top speed with less energy consumption. In Addition, the catamaran form, with its minimal draft, can easily access bays, marinas and shallow-water areas.

The main deck of the Aquacat is split level, a single low step upward marking the border between the communal area and the owner’s suite. A floor-to-ceiling panel housing the saloon’s 42-inch TV and DVD player is located amidships in front of the step, forming a small vestibule between saloon and cabin and further adding to the privacy of the owner’s area.

Aboard a conventional 80-foot mono hull, once you step past the midship point the walls, quite literally, start closing in. This is not so on the AquaCat: the full-beam suite enjoys the same houselike dimensions as the lounge area, with the added luxury of toe pampering deep pile carpet. A high, white paneled ceiling adds to the feeling of space, as do the many generously sized windows, which offer views to port and forward over the bow deck.

The ensuite bathroom is arranged along the port side, and divided from the bedroom by a sliding wall of frosted glass panels, behind which are twin sinks, shower unit and separate cubicle toilet. The sliding wall can be left open to create one big, bright space; it’s little innovative touches like this that distinguish the AC80 from a run-of-the-mill production yacht, and remind you that an individual, not a market research team, was behind the design.

Such is the nature of catamarans, however, that those layout possibilities rapidly diminish once you go below into the hulls. The AC80’s guest quarters, reached via twin stairwells either side of the main saloon, are generously proportioned by cat standards, but after the endless acreage of the main deck the descent below is a reminder that you are, after all, aboard a boat and not in a suite at the Sheraton.

Nevertheless, Horizon’s designers have done well to make the hulls seem as spacious as possible, installing clever liquid crystal windows that borrow light from the shared bathrooms (one in each hull) to illuminate the gangways between the cabins. A flick of a switch activates the display, turning the panels opaque. Both hulls have a double cabin amidships (the one to port is arranged as a twin) and a single cabin forward, with a shared bathroom in each hull.

This means the Aquacat will comfortably sleep six guests, with plenty of flexibility as to how they’re berthed, and still afford the owners absolute privacy in their suite above.

The Aquacat’s uppermost level, comprising the boat deck and pilothouse, is so large and well equipped it can serve as an entertainment area in its own right. It’s reached via a flight of curving teak steps from the aft deck (there is no interior access), which takes you to the AC80’s capacious boat deck with its 1340-kilogram dinghy davit and day head. An automatic sliding glass door, activated by pushbutton, takes you into the aft section of the pilothouse, which has a spacious lounge / TV area with an L-shaped sofa, coffee table, refrigerator and a small workstation for a computer.

Three helm chairs arranged in a row, gives the cockpit a slightly industrial air.A very comprehensive array of large navigation screens and multiple smaller screens and controls fill the width of the dashboard. Maneuverability is not a concern its easier to drive than a monohull. The props are so wide apart you can spin this boat within its own length, without going forwards or backwards.

The AC80 displaces 77 tons, and its bulbous bows and high wave clearance will iron out all but the choppiest waters. At 10 knots this boat will manage 800 nautical miles; more than enough for islandhopping around the Pacific or the Caribbean.

This bold and purposefull boat, will make an impression at any marina she berths at. Not that the catamaran fans who Horizon are targeting are likely to be bothered: they’ll be too busy enjoying the space, stability and style afforded by the Aqua cat's uncompromising design, and doing so in shallow bays and beaches that few conventional monohulls can reach. This factory demonstration Catamaran is a one of a kind vessel. And can be yours for $6.9 million.

If you would like more information please contact the Horizon Motor Yachts Australia Office on 1300 885 056 or email erica@hmya.com.au.