TUIGA

Tuiga is, among the four 15-Metre International Rule yachts on the circuit, the one that has most intentionally preserved the traditional appearance of its sails: cream-colored fabrics, two-step brown stitching, classic cuts, and—above all—eyelets, leatherwork, and finishes sewn entirely by hand.

Even though their profiles were generated using advanced design and simulation software, the sails we created for Tuiga—thanks to their traditional methods of construction—retain an irresistible, old-world charm.

Tuiga is one of the very few surviving yachts of the 15-Metre International Rule (or Metre Class). Designed by William Fife in 1908, she was launched the following year at his shipyard for the Duke of Medinaceli, who—together with other nobles—intended to race against his king, Alfonso XIII of Spain. The outbreak of World War I abruptly brought their racing period to an end, and the class itself was soon abolished. For the 15-Metre yachts, the time of abandonment and decay came much earlier than for many others. Sold immediately after the war, Tuiga passed through several hands and changed names. In 1935, under the name Kismet, she finished first on elapsed time in the Fastnet Race, which that year was won overall by Stormy Weather. Taken to Scotland, she remained far from the theatres of World War II, escaping destruction and requisition. But by the early 1970s, when she was moved to the Mediterranean to be used for charter, she had become almost unrecognizable.

In 1989, she finally entered the Fairlie Restoration shipyard in England, a yard specialized in the restoration of Fife yachts, and emerged four years later having regained her magnificent original appearance—though the layout and interior furnishings now differ from the original. Today, she proudly serves as the flagship of the Yacht Club de Monaco.

Specifications

ZAOLI E TUIGA