The Chubb U.S. Youth Triplehanded Championship for the Sears Cup is US Sailing’s National Championship for three-person, triplehanded youth teams (occasionally four-person boats are used), and serves as a pathway into keelboat racing. First sailed in 1921, the Sears Cup is US Sailing’s oldest national championship trophy and the original youth sailing national championship. The National Championship regatta is typically held in early August, with the Area Qualifier regattas taking place earlier in the year, typically in June and July.
The type of boat used for the National Championship and the Area Qualifier regattas varies based on the availability of boats at the host clubs each year. Generally the boats are three-person (or occasionally four-person) one-design classes, typically a keelboat (such as VX One, RS21, J-22, etc) or a large centerboard boat (such as a Lightning, Thistle, Flying Scot, etc). Recent Sears Cup boats include the VX One (2022), RS21 (2021), Open 5.70 (2019), Lightning (2018), Flying Scot (2017). In 2023, the RS21 will be used.
In 1921, Commodore Herbert M. Sears of the Eastern Yacht Club at Marblehead, MA placed in competition a Cup bearing his name for competition among juniors of Massachusetts yacht clubs. The next year eligibility broadened to include clubs such as Larchmont and Seawanhaka Corinthian on Long Island Sound and Cedarhurst on the south shore of Long Island, NY. How racing has changed since then is reflected in the fact that boys in those days were required to wear caps, neckties and jackets and girls dresses while sailing. In 1930, Commodore Sears of the Eastern Yacht Club at Marblehead, confident that NAYRU was here to stay and deeming it desirable that the competition be national in scope, deeded the trophy to NAYRU for triplehanded sailing among juniors over 12 and under 18 whose parents or guardians are members of some Yacht Club in the United States recognized by the Union. Under the deed, the Cup is “for the purpose of promoting the sport of yachting by encouraging proficiency in seamanship and sportsmanlike conduct in sail yacht racing on the part of boys and girls of school age”. By the 1950’s, NAYRU was inviting the Associations to make selections of teams to compete. Until the US Yacht Racing Union was formed in 1975, teams from Canadian Yacht Clubs also competed.
Past Florida Sailing Association Recipients of the Sears Cup:
1975, 1987 and 1989 Coconut Grove Sailing Club
1985, 1997 and 2014 St. Petersburg Yacht Club
2004 Venice Youth Boating Association
2006 Team FOR
2008 Sarasota Youth Sailing
Currently, the rotation to host the Area D Qualifier is as follows:
| 2023 | FSA | 2026 | FSA |
| 2024 | GYA | 2027 | GYA |
| 2025 | SAYRA | 2028 | SAYRA |
The Area D MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT outlines the procedures and guidelines for the three active Regional Sailing Associations of Area D. The MOA includes information on approved reimbursements/support for the winning team(s) who qualify for the CHUBB Triplehand Youth Championship, the Sears Cup.
In addition to the stated championship reimbursements outlined in the MOA, teams are encouraged to solicit support from their home clubs. Examples of ways clubs can support the qualifying teams include donation of hotel or airline points, gift cards for fuel, restaurants and hotels, or designated funds of Foundations or Trusts in their areas.