Tuiga's story begins in 1909, when she was built by William Fife, at the request of the Duke of Medinacelli, a close friend of the King of Spain, Alphonse XIII.

William Fife designed Tuiga in the image of Hispania, so that the two 15-metres could race together on equal terms. The resemblance was so strong that it was very difficult to tell them apart. The building of the ship took only six months.

Tuiga collected a long succession of second places, always behind the royal Spanish yacht. From these results and their similar designs, these two vessels created a lot of questioning, to such a point that rumours abounded that the owner preferred to "curb" his yacht, not wishing to beat his King and friend, Alphonse XIII, a situation that would obviously have put him in an embarrassing position.

After having been meticulously restored in the Fairlie Restorations ship yard, in England, under the care of specialist Duncan Walker, Tuiga is today moored at the pontoon of her new owner, the Yacht Club de Monaco.