Horizon Yacht FD90 Hull 22

The Taiwanese yacht builder Horizon Yachts finished building the 22nd yacht in the FD 90 series in January 2022: FD90 Hull 22. The four-cabin yacht with a length of over 27 m and a beam of 7 m in the Fast Displacement (FD) range is the first boat in this model range fitted with an innovative KNX automation system from JUNG. As a result, the new yacht can stand alongside some of the world's biggest yachts produced in recent years that are equipped with innovative KNX "smart home" technology.

The ship's architecture of the FD90 series was developed by the yacht builder in cooperation with Cor D. Rover Design. The contemporary interior design of the three-decked yacht was designed by the design team from Horizon Yachts. Also thanks to the innovative KNX system from JUNG that enables the new Australian owners now to conveniently control lighting, shade, air conditioning and multimedia systems with a smartphone or tablet, the yacht with the serial number Hull 22 embodies a new and future-oriented type of ship: modern but simple design, paired with maximum living convenience with technical high-end equipment.

According to John Lu, CEO of the Horizon Group, yacht building has changed in recent years, also dictated by the interruption of the COVID-19 pandemic. While the industry remained in its own microcosm for decades with virtually no change in the way that people built, bought and used their yachts, he sees great changes on the way. The world market for new and used yachts is booming. This is due to the changed travel and leisure activities of recent years, but also just as much to people's search for secure investments. In addition, the change in the yacht industry is being driven by a new generation of owners who seek to cultivate a fully new yachting lifestyle.

One of these new motor yachts for the modern clientele is the FD90 Hull 22. The yacht was equipped with an enclosed skylounge and a separate wheelhouse that is accessible via a floating staircase. At the rear of the sky lounge there is a bar followed by a large outside area with free-standing furniture on the boat deck. An additional lounge area on the foredeck is reached using walkaround side decks. Guests access the modern yacht, though, initially through a spacious afterdeck on the intermediate deck with a spacious and comfortable open seating area, followed by a loft-style main saloon with living, dining and multimedia areas. The contemporary interior design is characterised by lots of walnut, black glass and black lacquered surfaces. On this main deck as well there is a generous master suite with private bathroom. On the lower deck, which is reached from the saloon via an interior stairway, there are two more queen-size cabins and a convertible twin/VIP cabin with all the necessary service functions. Aft of the engine room on the lower deck there is accommodation for four crew members as well as a comfortable beach club with bar and sofa area.

The heart of the yacht, however, is the generous living and communal area on the middle deck. Floor-to-ceiling windows and sliding glass doors that connect the saloon with the surrounding decks extend the view to the exterior. The spacious galley can be separated from the dining and living area if required with a privacy screen. Custom furniture and fixtures ensure plentiful storage space. Special lighting effects and colour control of the lighting with the KNX automation system from JUNG make it possible to bathe the saloon in different light colours. Control is either with wall-mounted push-buttons in the LS 990 design, the operation of which is particularly intuitive due to the clear icons, or conveniently from the sofa with an app using a tablet or smartphone. The same naturally also applies to the control of all other technology functions integrated into the KNX system, such as shading, air conditioning or the multimedia devices.

The interior of the yacht impresses with a discrete design and high-quality equipment in all areas that combine the latest technical functions - such as glass dividing walls with transparency that can be adjusted between transparent and translucent or the versatile functions of the KNX system – with a modern, sophisticated aesthetic. In the process, the design team placed great value on a cool design, based on dark wood, glossy stainless steel and black glass surfaces in contrast to the warm wood colours and gold tones of the previous models. Carefully positioned accents using soft textiles such as suede leather or thick-napped carpets disrupt the simple design and provide a cosy atmosphere in combination with unique lighting solutions such as the lighting strip integrated into the ceiling. Warm light colours thus lend the yacht a bright radiance from within – without working with lots of marble and gold like previously.

In addition to ten guests, the yacht can accommodate four crew members.