Packer hoping for smooth sailing with long awaited $200m gigayacht

It's been four years in the making, and cost him one of his oldest friendships, but James Packer's ultimate new toy has finally hit the water and is tantalisingly close to being ready for its maiden voyage.

James Packer's new $200million "gigayacht" has finally hit the water.Credit: Benetti

And given the recent trials and tribulations in the billionaire's life, he is hoping to set a course for  calmer seas.

PS has previously revealed the yacht will be named IJE once completed, the initials of Packer's  three children: Indigo, Jackson and Emmanuelle.

Packer is planning to name the new ship after his three children: Indigo, Jacskon and Emmanuelle, with former wife Erica Packer.

This column also revealed the cost blowouts on the build which is now hovering around the $200 million mark. This resulted in Packer's former "Minister for Fun", Matthew Csidei, being ousted from the Packer inner-sanctum, where he had enjoyed the largesse of his billionaire buddy for decades.

The pair no longer speak.

Built by Benetti in Livorno, Italy, the 108-metre long vessel was launched officially in a ceremony hosted by the Italian ship builder last week, offering the first glimpse of one of the biggest superyachts built anywhere in the world.

Conde-named FB275, it is Benetti’s third "gigayacht" and its largest yacht so far.

Measuring a hefty 108 metres in length, the giant new "tinnie" will be hard to miss.Credit: Benetti

With much fanfare it was lowered into the waters at Benetti's Livorno facility for the first time.

Weighing in at a whopping 3700 tonnes, the superyacht’s exterior lines were designed by British company RWD, while the interiors were developed by Benetti’s in-house team.

Boasting a beam of 14.5 metres and a height of 30.4 metres, Packer's new ship will be hard to miss, especially if he ever manages to bring it to Sydney and moor it off the back of his new Crown Casino at Barangaroo, which friends say had been the casino mogul's long-term ambition.

However, given events this week with revelations his casino business could soon be sold to the highest bidder, such a transaction would potentially put an end to that dream.

Over five decks Packer's new tinnie, which replaces his late father Kerry's 88-metre Arctic P now in the hands of big sister Gretel and remains in the Packer armada, features a cinema, gym, sauna, large heated swimming pool and an observation deck.

There is more than 1000 square metres of outdoor deck space alone, with the bridge deck featuring sun pads and a 1.5 metre fire-pit to toast marshmallows on chilly nights at sea.

The owner’s deck is fitted with it's own private dining and seating areas, separate from those on the main deck.

The foredeck offers storage for two tenders of 14 metres. Another 10-meter tender can be located in the yacht’s garage on the lower deck, with up to eight jet skis.

Yes, eight.

Designed for long distance cruising with no need to refuel, the 345,000-litre capacity tank means it has a range of 6500 nautical miles at a breezy 14 knots, though the ship's top speed is 18.5 knots.

Last September Packer 'off-loaded his 55-meter Amels, EJI. Practically brand new and only intended as a interim yacht while the big Benetti was being built, Packer has long had a passion for large boats, and has previously owned the 50-metre Mangusta, Z as well as the 46-meter Leopard, Z Sydney. At one point he also had the  52-metre Amels, Seahorse.

Winx draws a crowd

It's official. Winx is bigger than the Melbourne Cup judging by the line up of VIPs heading to Royal Randwick to bid farewell to the record-breaking thoroughbred.

The Queen Elizabeth Stakes will be Winx's last race.Credit: AAP

Prime Minister Scott Morrison is no doubt keen to press the flesh now he has finally triggered the start gun on the federal election. PS hears Morrison intends to be at Randwick today but it remains to be seen if Labor leader Bill Shorten will be trackside.

Scott Morrison and Bill Shorten taking the campaign to Randwick.

Racing NSW chief executive Peter V'Landys is rolling out the welcome mat for a posse of influential types, with everyone from New Corp boss Michael Miller to the editors of  The Daily Telegraph and The Australian, along with The Sydney Morning Herald, set to arrive for a day in his director's suite.

Alan Jones and his racing buddy and fellow horseman, millionaire breeder and Racing NSW chairman John Messara will be working the Queen Elizabeth Ballroom, though another racing regular and Jones' not so matey 2GB stablemate Ray Hadley is not expected to attend.

Bigger than the Melbourne Cup, racing royalty Kate Waterhouse will be among the starters at Randwick to see Winx.Credit: AAP

Officially, Gai Waterhouse will be working at Randwick today, however the rest of the Waterhouse clan will be embedded throughout the various corporate suites, with Kate Waterhouse leading the charge at the swish Longines luncheon, where the likes of Jesinta and Buddy Franklin, Kerri-Anne Kennerley, Rachel Griffiths, Sandra Sully and Samantha Armytage will be installed, along with David Panton, who interestingly is flying solo on Saturday, with his regular racing companion and partner, ex-foreign minister Julie Bishop not expected.

Which is a pity as Longines has flown in hundreds of white roses from Columbia to decorate their suite, which promises to be the most extravagant location at Randwick to watch Winx race for the last time.

Giddy up!

Sounding the burlesque bell

PS is still hearing about that party Lachlan and Sarah Murdoch threw for their 20th wedding anniversary a fortnight ago.

Shaun O'Hare with Lucy "LuLu" Ellem and his daugthers Ashleigh and Tara, arriving at sister Sarah Murdoch's 20th wedding anniversary party.Credit: Janie Barrett

It has come to light that not only was the room full of billionaires, politicians and power brokers, but also one of Sydney's most talked about entertainers, Lulu Belle, who calls herself a "performance artist and model".

Promoting herself as being accomplished in the "art of seduction/burlesque/trapeze" - though she doesn't specify if it's all three at once - PS can confirm her shows are not for the prudish or faint hearted.

Turns out Lulu Belle is actually Lucy Ellem who is currently dating Sarah Murdoch's brother, Shaun O'Hare, and has been the subject of much chatter, especially among the mums at the school where O'Hare's teenage daughter attends.

Lulu Belle in "work mode".Credit: Instagram

Indeed PS received an email from "Mothers Against Filth", who have been doing some seriously exhaustive research into Lulu Belle's professional background and coming up with all sorts of racy material too raunchy to share here.

And with the steamy relationship in full swing, there is the very real prospect that O'Hare and Lulu might make things more permanent, which means the Murdoch's children could soon have a very interesting new aunt Lulu at the next family get-together.

Breakfast serial continues for top billing

Ray Hadley continued to broadcast out of the Brisbane studios rather than be at 2GB's Sydney headquarters this week.

Happier times: Alan Jones, Ray Hadley and John Singleton celebrating 2GB's success in 2016.Credit: Ben Rushton

Following PS's exclusive revelations that he is now the subject of  new investigations after two staffers filed bullying complaints,  Hadley was able to avoid any awkward corridor collisions with his latest accusers. The two new complaints follow  "historical" claims made by former Hadley colleagues Chris Bowen and Andrew Moore.

PS has also learned that an independent, third-party investigator has been assigned to look into the new complaints against Hadley and has been making enquiries this week.

The new investigations into Hadley coincide with on-going contract negotiations between the station's biggest star, Alan Jones, and 2GB's parent company, Macquarie Media, which is majority-owned by Nine, the owner of this masthead.

There was speculation that Hadley would inherit Jones' breakfast timeslot.

He has the full backing of management and Macquarie's second largest shareholder, John Singleton, which has caused a deep rift with Jones, billed as a "cold war" inside 2GB.

While there has been much speculation that negotiations with Jones had stalled, PS hears from insiders that to the contrary, talks have progressed well with a strong likelihood that Jones will remain in his $4 million-a-year gig.

Master of antiquities celebrated

Ros and Gretel Packer at Martyn Cook's memorial service in Darlinghurst on Thursday.Credit: Louie Douvis

It was "old school" Sydney that turned up to Thursday's memorial at Darlinghurst's National Arts School to celebrate the life of the late antiques dealer Martyn Cook, who lost his battle with early onset dementia more than a week ago.

One of Cook's best customers was Ros Packer, who would often visit Cook's Woollahra salon and pick up pieces that he had sourced from his trevails all over the world. The Packer matriarch was joined by her daughter Gretel.

Cook's good friend Robbie Nicol filled the historic sandstone venue with flowers, while former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull and his former foreign minister Julie Bishop were also there, no doubt with much to catch up on given Prime Minister  Morrison had called the election that morning.