2014 SCBS: Horizon Motor Yachts

Russel Wright from Horizon Motor Yachts Australia tells us about Horizon Motor Yachts at Sanctuary Cove and how to do business after the GFC.

HORIZON AT SCIBS

“It’s about two thirds of the way up the Horizon range. They start at about 56 feet and go through to about 160 feet,” he says.

Horizon also has a Horizon Vision 74 Series; a Horizon PC 60 catamaran — Wright describes it as a much sought after boat that is starting up new trends in the Horizon business — and on the smalle end of the spectrum, the Horizon 56, another popular Horizon motoryacht.

“We’re also lucky that the boat show actually comes to us,” adds Wright. “The Horizon Motor Yachts office is in fact located at Sanctuary Cove. In fact, these are our berths where display boats normally sit, so we’re fortunate in having the boat show come to us,” he says.

DOING BUSINESS AFTER THE GFC

Wright concedes that business has been challenging since 2008 following the GFC. He says that there was a noticeable slow-down from this time, what with Horizon operating in a luxury industry where sales depend on discretionary dollars.

However, he says, things has slowly improved following low points in 2009 and 2010, although he points out that Horizon kept selling new boats during this period.

The strong dollar was one advantage as the Horizon boats kept getting purchased in US currency. “For that reason, I think, we kept selling boats because our pricing was so good compared to other brands,” he says.

Even better for Horizon, says Wright, enquiries have steadily increased. Horizon continues to sell new boats while at the same time he has seen considerable movement in the second hand market, which Wright says was fairly quiet.

“This is a good sign that we’re heading in the right direction,” he says. “Certainly America has turned and the recent boat shows they had over there in Florida had record sales. So it’s turned there and it’s turning here for us.”