Built as an auxiliary schooner yacht by Camper & Nicholson Ltd., Southampton/Gosport as a three-mast staysail schooner for the American Mr. Alex Smith Cochrane.
The yacht was designed by Charles E. Nicholson.
October 1927 launched as the VIRA.
Displacement 697 ton, 433.91 gross, 272,06 net. Dim. 65.30 x 9.40 x 5.00m., length between pp 50.80m., draught 5.60m.
Sail area 2,040 m².
Composite built with steel ribs and 10 cm thick teak-planking hull.
Under the waterline copper sheathed.
Powered by two diesel engines total 3,000 hp.
Crew 25 men, and could accommodate 10 guests.
Sometimes before or after delivery bought by: major Maurice Pope.
1928 Was she renamed in CREOLE, not sure if she ever had been sailed under the name VIRA.
1937 She was bought by Sir Connop Guthrie and restored by her builder to her originally sailing plan
November 1940 hired by the British Admiralty, and used as a degaussing vessel. Tonnage is given as 399 gross. Her sails and masts were removed.
April 1941 renamed in MAGIC CIRCLE.
1946 returned to owners and laid up by her builders yard.
1951 Bought by the millionaire Greek shipping tycoon Stavros Niarchos. He bought the yacht when she carried the name CREOLE, so most probably when the British Admiralty handed her back to owners she got her old name back.
Niarchos restored the yacht in Germany and decorated it with the help of Salvador Dali.
King Juan Carlos of Spain and Queen Sofia spent part of their honeymoon on board of the yacht.
1956 Took part successfully in the Tall Ships Race from Torbay to Lisbon with a British crew and under British flag, also took part in a race in 1958 with a British crew, on both races was she on loan to the British Royal Navy.
Niarchos lived on board but when his wife was found dead, he never used the yacht again.
1980 Sold to the Danish merchant marine school in Nyborg, and converted in a training vessel., she was renamed MISTRAL.
Made training voyages to Spain and West Africa, the Caribbean, Malaga, Santo Domingo and Boston.
Took part in the races to Kristiansand and Frederikshavn to Amsterdam.
1980 Used in the Kiel to Karlskrona race by a Danish sponsor with a crew of 7 officers, 4 crew and 37 trainees.
1983 Sold to Maurizio Gucci the famous couturier. (he was murdered in 1995 on orders of his wife.)
The yacht was restored to her old glory in Mallorca, renamed again in CREOLE.
2010 The yacht belongs now to the sisters Alessandra & Allegra Gucci.
Grenada/Carriacou & Petite Martinique 90c
Source: Log Book January 2002. De Laatste Grote Zeilschepen by Otmar Schäuffelen. Ships of the Royal Navy Volume 2 by J.J. Colledge. http://www.yachtspotter.com/ysp2_ycard.php?foo=20070424