Horizon Yachts has long been known for building seaworthy vessels that emphasize interior volume, entertainment spaces and customization. The builder’s sweet spot is in the 80- to 120-foot range, and it has incorporated all the lessons learned from those larger yachts into the E56, the smallest E-series model it offers. She’s a yacht that out-punches her weight.
One thing that stood out during my time on board the E56 was the number of custom elements the builder was able to include—rare for a 56-footer. There was custom cabinetry in the salon and amidships galley, both designed for longer voyages. In the after section of the salon, the owner wanted a glass-and-stainless-steel dining table. That table is serviced by a galley with some pleasing touches, including a wenge-and-sapele sole (and excellent joinery), a four-burner cooktop, a convection oven/microwave and granite countertops.
Forward of the galley is the lower helm, with a carbon-fiber dash and twin Garmin screens. I found visibility to be excellent, and the optional sunroof opened up the space nicely.
Down below, this E56 had a custom three-stateroom layout. The forepeak VIP was so large, I initially mistook it for the master stateroom. The walk-around queen berth has plenty of space on each side, thanks in part to the yacht’s 15-foot-9-inch beam that carries farther forward than beams tend to do on other yachts. That’s a design trick that Horizon uses on many of its vessels, and one that pays dividends when it comes to interior space.
Walking aft past a washer/dryer, I grabbed the door handle to the amidships master stateroom and noted how the egg-shaped knob fit perfectly in my hand—a reminder that Horizon’s design team thought as hard about the details as they did about the larger elements. I opened the door, and it was immediately apparent that Horizon had put on a clinic in how to fit extra stowage aboard a boat. The stateroom had no fewer than 23 cabinets and drawers, more than enough for owners to add an extra leg or two to a summer cruise. Sapele wood throughout, and blackout shades on the hullside windows, made the space both pleasing to the eye and secluded all at once.
The Horizon E56 carries 660 gallons of fuel and, according to the builder, has a 230-nautical-mile range at a cruising speed of 23 knots. But she’s more than a vessel that owner-operators can use simply for long weekend getaways with friends and family; she is a true midsize motoryacht whose custom detailing makes her feel like a mega-yacht.
Take the next step: horizonyacht.com
