The Reial Club Nàutic de Tarragona has participated in many sailing competitions during its long existence.

Following its reconstruction the building was badly damaged by bombs during the 1936–1939 Spanish Civil War, after which it was only repaired in 1945.

In the 1960s the club opened its Escola de Marineria, a Sailing School which quickly earned a good reputation for promoting interest in water sports among the youth in Tarragona.

During the last decades of the 20th century the Royal Tarragona Yacht Club expanded quickly thanks to the assistance of the Tarragona Port Authority in the construction of its new harbor premises outside of the heavily-polluted commercial harbor.

The Royal Tarragona Yacht Club celebrated its 125th anniversary in 2003 amid much fanfare among its members and local authorities.