Murdoch's superyacht up for hire

LONDON - Holidaymakers with $459,000 to spare and a lust for sailing can now hit the high seas aboard Rupert Murdoch's luxury yacht.

The billionaire media mogul has begun renting out his "aluminium masterpiece", the 56-metre Rosehearty, through a specialist charter company.

For 220,000 euros a week, you can sleep in the tycoon's king-size bed, use his on-board "technogym" and borrow his deep sea diving gear.

The stylish modern interior of the vessel, which sleeps 10 people and carries nine crew, has been designed by French interior designer Christian Liaigre.

Guests can relax in spacious queen berth cabins, each of which boasts a plasma screen TV, as they sail around the Caribbean or Mediterranean.

The three-year-old Perini Navi yacht also has two dinghies and six sets of dive gear.

Superyacht World's editor in chief Hugo Andreae told The Guardian newspaper in Britain it was not unusual for wealthy owners to rent out their yachts to help "offset the enormous costs".

"There are certainly bigger and more luxurious boats available," he said.

"A few years ago (Rosehearty) would have been a pretty sizeable yacht, but these days you regularly build up to 100 metres."

According to US gossip websites, Murdoch has been holidaying with family and friends aboard the Rosehearty in Auke Bay, Alaska, in recent weeks.

"The 'rumour on the dock' was that the mogul's special on-board guest was none other than Mel Gibson," Cityfile New York reported.

British Conservative Party leader David Cameron, who is strongly tipped to become prime minister in 2010, was also an onboard guest of the media tycoon in August 2008.

Cameron flew by private jet to the Greek island of Santorini where he joined Murdoch on board the Rosehearty for drinks.

The pair later dined aboard another yacht owned by Murdoch's son-in-law Matthew Freud, who is married to the tycoon's daughter Elisabeth.

Celebrities are also guests at Murdoch's 11-bedroom waterfront mansion, also known as Rosehearty, in Nassau County, New York.

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt were the latest celebs reported to have leased the Federal-style home, which sits on more than two hectares and has its own private beach.

The home was put up for sale in 2007 with an asking price of US$12.8 million but was taken off the market.

- AAP