The Tarragona Royal Sailing Club was founded in 1878 thanks to  Sr. Antoni Escofet, with the collaboration of a group of friends dedicated to sports, that made up something called the“Crazies Club”, because it was not understood how they could enjoy themselves, rowing as if they were fishermen. They used as their headquarters,  offices belonging to the “Llatzarè” that were housed in the old walls next to the sea, situated approximately in front of the Serrallo.

The first vessel they used was a rowing boat, slow and heavy. It was not long before they commissioned a British builder to make them a vessel with four oars which was christened "Aurora", after which followed two outriggers. As seen from the above, the initial activity of the Royal Sailing Club was rowing, until in 1885 and during the festival of SANTA TECLA, patron saint of the city, a sailing regatta took place, the first one organised in the Port of Tarragona.

In 1887 after nine years of occupying the inadequate “Llatzarè”, offices, the members of the Regatta Society, as the organisation of "The Crazies", was known, requested from the Building Works Council the construction of a wooden hut in the Transversal dock. This request was processed and building was authorised that very year.

It was, some time later, inaugurated as the Sailing Club of Tarragona. In August 1892, the Sailing Club requested extension of the hut, for a head office for the club, which was newly built in 1915 due to lack of space. That same year another building was approved, in line with needs and the importance that the group had achieved. So, on 3rd June 1915 the transfer from the social club to a proposed site at the end of the Costa Dock and at the beginning of the Serrallo beach, was requested to the Building Works Council of the Port and the General Manager of Public Works, a request which was granted and later confirmed by a Royal decree.

In 1991 the General Assembly of Members requested the “Royal” title for the Club and also offered His Majesty the King the Honorary Presidency. Both things were achieved. Also negotiated with the Port Authority was the building of a dock intended as a sporting port, outside of the commercial port. After much negotiation, not only was the much needed Sporting Port of Tarragona realised, of which the Sailing Club is a fundamental part, but also the much needed new head office building. So we arrive at 29th August 1997, while the directors are delivering words of remembrance and farewells, other members were saying goodbye to the old building, the doors of which were emotionally closed by the oldest member.

Only a few hours later, on the morning of the 30th, the new headquarters by the sea were inaugurated, thanks to the efforts and continuing the hard work of those "Crazies"who in 1878 gave life to the oldest Sailing Club in Spain.

Currently and with the help of the Port Authority, the regatta teams have secured many successes, nationally and internationally, and the Royal Nautical Club of Tarragona Sailing School is one of the most prestigious in the Mediterranean area. Every year, they have won “The Golden Sail” awarded to the best Sailing Clubs.

Royal Sailing Club Tarragona

Port Esportiu, s/n
Edifici Club Nàutic
43004 Tarragona
Tel. 977 240 360
Fax. 977 222 417
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www.rcntarragona.com