While youth and women had had national, ladder-system championships for a quarter century, it was not until 1952 that a similar championship for men eighteen years and older was established during Robert N. Bavier, Jr.’s tenure as Executive Director of NAYRU. The family of Clifford D. Mallory, who revived NAYRU in 1925, provided a magnificent sterling silver tureen, purportedly from the estate of Lord Nelson but according to the hallmarks more likely executed after his death for his brother. It was immediately popular, with twenty of the twenty-three district associations competing in the inaugural match won by Cornelius Shields of the Larchmont Yacht Club. The next year, the regulations were relaxed to permit female members in the crew but not at the helm.
Beginning in 1993 the Women's and Men's Championships were held together in alternate years. Since 2006, the event has been a mixture of a ladder series starting at the club level and a resume application. In 2009, the championships began being held together each year and the two committees merged. The two fleets use the same race course, sail different classes of boats and enjoy social events together. The joint events have sometimes been hosted by two cooperating, nearby clubs – otherwise by a single club.
Notable winners were Harry C. (Buddy) Melges, Jr. of the Inland Lake Yachting Association and Zak Fanberg of Bay Waveland, both of whom have won three times in a row, while Eugene H. Wallet, III of New Orleans, Glenn Darden of the Texas Yachting Association and Michael Turner of the Royal Victoria Yacht Club who each won two straight. Scott Young of Texas has won six times, twice as crew and four times as skipper.