State-of-the-Art Facilities
Encompassing 1,184,030 square feet, Horizon’s four dedicated shipyards embody the latest in technology, equipment and systems.
CNC Shop
Every yacht is created from a mold, and the quality of the mold determines the outcome of the final product. To ensure the best and most accurate molds possible, Horizon owns a professional CNC shop dedicated to providing precise molds for each shipyard to use in building our yachts. Our CNC shop enforces stringent guidelines, including:
1. Performance evaluation:
Prior to producing a mold, yacht designs undergo a series of calculation and verification assessments. Horizon's CNC shop studies and evaluates the speed, stability and resistance according to boat models' cruising area as well as the seaworthiness of the design. The performance evaluation must meet strict requirements before the new model can be put into production.
2. Mold design and manufacturability assessment:
As designers endeavor to develop yacht styles with unique aesthetics, exterior yacht styles have become increasingly diverse, with more detailed shapes and lines. The potential manufacturing complications of these designs, however, are often overlooked. Horizon's CNC shop carefully determines how to divide and combine the molds according to their distinct shapes, while also considering how the mold can be produced according to the design without affecting the shape’s condition.
3. Mold production:
Horizon's CNC shop utilizes advanced 3D computer-aided design software to construct our molds. With our computer-aided manufacturing (CAM), every detailed shape can be drawn out by the computer and in accordance with the designer's ideas. In addition to outputting complex and curved lines, CAM also ensures that each yacht component is accurately produced to the highest degree of quality.
Dry Dock
Once construction is complete, each Horizon yacht undergoes a series of tests in our covered dry dock and test tank before sea trial. In this dedicated test dry dock, well-trained technicians check every detail of the yacht using advanced instruments.
Dry Dock tests include:
1. All boat systems under light load and full load
2. Service, engines, generators and other equipment for running the yacht several days at a time
3. All mechanical, electrical, electronic and hydraulic systems by professional technicians in various departments
4. Gear loading of the tender to ensure smooth operation as well as check the yacht's stability when discharging the tender
5. All new design models need to do the inclining test before sea trial.
Dust-proof Environment Paint Shop
Whether a yacht’s paint finish is glossy or metallic, its surface should be completely smooth and yield a mirror-like quality. Horizon's dust-proof environment paint shop adheres to rigorous environmental standards to achieve this through a special ventilation system within the shop ceiling and beneath the mesh floor; this system ensures that chemicals and particles are filtered out and prevents the lacquerers from exposing the environment to chemical hazard environment.
Dust Control
During the boat building process, FRP particulates and wood dust can affect the quality of lamination and the working environment. To mitigate dust influence, Horizon has 30 dust collectors throughout the factories, and utilizes the following control methods:
1. Arranges a specific factory area that has minimal influence on the factory environment for extensive grinding work.
2. Provides a large tent to cover components for small grinding work.
3. Supplies both fixed and removable Water Washing Dust Collectors throughout the factory to collect and decrease dust.
Float On/Off Launch Barge
To launch completed yachts for system testing and sea trials, Horizon invested $1 million dollars in the development of a proprietary float on/off launch barge. The steel barge tips the scales at 380 tons and its U-shaped structure for yachts less than 200 feet (60M), beam 45 feet (13.4M). The barge can transport 650-ton loads by water and reach a maximum draft of 18 feet (5.5M).
The barge is designed to open at both ends for seamless, ramp-free loading and unloading. The central deck is raised and lowered from an automated helm station located in the pilot cabin atop the portside structure, while the power plant is located on the starboard side. Crew access tunnels are found to port and starboard in the catamaran-like hull, with exterior stairways situated on both sides as well. When a yacht build is complete, Horizon can utilize the barge's submersion feature to launch the yacht for sea trial, maintenance and shipping, until the yacht floats free. Since 2013, the barge has been used for more than 20 yachts with 100 feet (30M) above when the Premier Shipyard shifted focus to yacht refit and repair service.
Hydraulic Steering Trailer
For smooth yacht transportation, Horizon also invested over USD230, 000 in the hydraulic steering trailer to deliver the FRP components to its yards. The trailer reaches a 6kph speed when carrying 80 tons – the equivalent of a 136-foot (40M) hull – and is easily operated via remote control. For security measures, a warning light alerts of any issues and non-skid patterns on the surface reduce product movement when the trailer is underway. Since 2007, Horizon's trailer has successfully delivered more than 4,000 tons.
