Southern Star

“The whole idea,” Gary says, “is that fishing rods, wetsuits, diving gear, everything for the water, is on the back, and on the other side obviously the live bait tank, filleting bench, sink, and barbecue. That way everything’s incorporated in that whole back module.”

The expansive swim platform is roomy enough for suitable chairs to recline as the seriously fun water-based activities take place. It can submerge to 1.2 metres, while its 450-kilogram lifting capacity allows for easy stowage of a 3.5-metre RIB tender.

Just two wide teak steps and you are back in the cockpit, with 316- grade stainless steel grab rails and a safety gate. A locker on the port stairwell houses the transom shower and water inlets. At the top of the stairs is an icemaker and fridge strategically located in arm’s reach of the cockpit table.

There is another design option available with more seating and a bigger table instead of the U-Tec fridge, but the arrangement in our review boat is perfect for those afternoons when you are cooling off in the water, shuttling in to the beach every now and then, before settling in for an alfresco dinner in the L-shaped lounge around the high-gloss cockpit table.

Wide side decks with no trip hazards ensure safe access to a separate dining/entertainment zone on the bow, another of Gary’s initiatives.

The hinged table unfolds and there’s lounge seating for six to eight adults. Or stretch out on the double sunbed, complete with recessed cup holders and handy ice bucket well, plus speakers for those who don’t find a measure of tranquillity in the lapping wavelets against the hull.

When conditions finally dictate its time to retreat to the saloon, the single-level multi-function deck plan comes into its own.

A hopper window opens up the entire aft cockpit to the saloon, with a lot of thought going into the location of the galley.

“With the rear galley, we wanted to be able to entertain out the back with guests with that indoor/outdoor scenario,” Gary explains. “Obviously when you’re travelling you’ve got all your guests sitting around the table – you’re at the helm station so everyone’s integrated together.”

The XO achieves this, thanks also to excellent noise and vibration dampening, keeping the space extremely quiet as the ocean or coastal panorama slips by the swooping windows.

Just inside the sliding saloon door to starboard are two cabinets: one for the air-conditioning unit, the other housing AC and DC power switches and operating panels for the Cummins Onan generator and the inverter/charter. All are extremely well laid out. A full-height Fisher Paykel fridge/freezer stores the catch or provides ample provisions for cruising.

Opposite to port is the galley with Corian benchtops, featuring a Smeg cooktop and convection oven. Snacks can be served up to a breakfast bar with weighted stools, while racks in the cupboards secure glasses of varying sizes.

For other occasions there’s the polished white oak dinette with highly comfortable seating on the Ultraleather L-shaped lounge. The table converts into a double bed for extra guests. The natural tones of the décor are carried through to the saloon’s oak panel floor finish.

While you’re reclining on the lounge, the XO’s comprehensive entertainment package can cater to virtually any request, whether its satellite TV, internet downloads or simply pumping the tunes out via the top-of-the-range Bose system. The 50-inch TV is recessed into a cabinet, ready to emerge on movie night.

Forward are dual-stitched leather helm seats modelled on Bentley perches, with classy Horizon branding. The helm station itself sits atop a two-drawer cabinet.

Twin E165 HybridTouch Raymarine screens display radar, autopilot, VHF and fishfinder, and are CCTV integrated, while the twin Cat 312s have their own monitors with alarm functions. There’s also monitoring systems for critical equipment such as bilge pumps and blowers, along with trim tab and bow thruster controls. It sounds crowded, but the layout is very intuitive and after a couple of goes, selections come easily.

Ocean tested the E56 XO in a half-metre swell off Sydney Heads. The deep-V hull and chines running well aft carved through the chop and we were impressed by the smooth-riding sure-footedness of the hull.

That should come as no surprise, as the boat has a solid FRP bottom, with high-density foam coring above the chine line. It is constructed with Horizon’s licensed SCRIMP process which the company says give its hulls greater strength with less weight.

Down below in the owner’s stateroom offshore at 15 knots there was a reassuring lack of banging and bumping, helped no doubt by the plush surroundings. The earthy tones of the carpet are offset by the crafted dark woodgrain joinery and stain finish headboard.

‘Opulent’ can be a maligned descriptor but I don’t think I’ve ever been in the stateroom of a boat of this size that quite matches the E56 XO.