2026 J/24 National Championships · Portland, Maine

Loose Cannon

USA 5274 · Team travel, local logistics, boat preparation and championship operating plan.

Sept. 8–13, 2026Portland, Maine

Crew

Loose Cannon · USA 5274
Crisp · Will · Christina
Driving from Charleston, SC with Loose Cannon
Truck and Boat
Dan · Rich
Flying into Portland on Wednesday, September 9
Flying

Key Locations

Home Base + Boat Yard
H

Team House

Pete & Weezy Price's House
21 Quarry Lane, Freeport, ME 04032
Open Map
P

Portland Yacht Services

100 W Commercial St
Portland, ME 04102
Open Map

Local Notes from Pete & Weezy

The homeowners provided these useful arrival and provisioning notes for the immediate area around 21 Quarry Lane:

Arrival landmark: GPS will likely route the team off I-295 at the Desert Road exit. After exiting, look for the gas station immediately on the right. Continue approximately 0.1 mile down Main Street and the strip mall will be on the left.
Shaw's Map Dunkin' Map Mast Landing Map

Travel & Maps

Estimated · Recheck Live Traffic

Charleston → Portland Yacht Services

Crisp, Will & Christina: depart Charleston very early Tuesday, Sept. 8. Drive as far north as practical, overnight, then finish the tow Wednesday, Sept. 9.

~1,050–1,100 miApproximate road distance
~17–18 hrNormal vehicle driving time
~18–20+ hrPractical towing time with stops
Open Charleston → PYS Route

House → Portland Yacht Services

21 Quarry Lane, Freeport → 100 W Commercial St, PortlandPlan roughly 25–30 minutes in normal traffic; build in 35–40 minutes on race mornings.Directions
~25–30 min

PWM Airport → Portland Yacht Services

Portland International Jetport → PYSUseful for Dan and Rich on Sept. 9. Allow more time around afternoon traffic.Directions
~10–15 min
Home Base: 21 Quarry Lane, Freeport, ME.
Boat Yard: Portland Yacht Services, 100 W Commercial St.
Drive times are planning estimates, not live navigation. For the championship mornings, use the linked route shortly before departure and add buffer for Portland traffic, construction and parking.

Breakfast Options

Race-Morning Friendly

Near the House · Freeport

Freeport Café

7 AM–2 PM

29 US-1, Freeport. Traditional sit-down breakfast, good for a team breakfast when there is time.

~5–10 min from houseFull breakfast
Directions

Sunrise Café

6 AM opening

475 US-1, Freeport. One of the strongest early-start choices for a substantial breakfast before heading south.

~10 min from houseEarly opening
Directions

Isabella's Café & Bakery

7 AM–3 PM

2 School St, Freeport. Breakfast sandwiches, baked goods and coffee—good for grab-and-go.

~5–10 min from houseGrab & go
Directions

Near Portland Yacht Services

Becky's Diner

5 AM–9 PM

390 Commercial St. Classic Portland waterfront diner and the best fit for an extremely early race morning.

~5 min from PYSBest early option
Directions

Salt Yard Café & Bar

7 AM opening

285 Commercial St. Convenient waterfront breakfast and coffee option along Commercial Street.

~5 min from PYSConvenient
Directions

Smalls

8 AM opening

28 Brackett St. Coffee, breakfast and lighter fare in the West End, close to the boat yard.

~5 min from PYSCoffee + light breakfast
Directions

Groceries & Provisions

Food · Water · Race-Day Supplies

Near the House · Freeport

Bow Street Market

6:30 AM–8 PM

79 Bow St, Freeport. Excellent local market for groceries, prepared foods, sandwiches, drinks and higher-quality provisions.

~5–10 min from houseRecommended primary stop
Directions

Shaw's

7 AM–10 PM*

200 Lower Main St, Freeport. Full-size supermarket and a practical arrival-night stock-up option.

~10 min from houseFull supermarketLate closing
Directions

Near Portland Yacht Services

Whole Foods Market

8 AM–10 PM

2 Somerset St. Good for prepared foods, fruit, snacks, drinks and higher-quality race provisions.

~10 min from PYSPrepared food
Directions

Trader Joe's

8 AM–9 PM

87 Marginal Way. Strong option for snacks, easy breakfasts, sandwich supplies and boat-friendly packaged food.

~10 min from PYSSnacks + easy meals
Directions

Hannaford

7 AM–10 PM

295 Forest Ave. Full supermarket; useful for a larger provision run or anything the smaller markets do not have.

~10–15 min from PYSFull supermarket
Directions

Suggested Provision Run

Make the main grocery run Wednesday evening after the mast is stepped so Thursday starts clean. Pete & Weezy note that a very good local market is only about 0.5 mile from the house and offers groceries, premade or made-to-go sandwiches and bagged ice. Shaw's is especially convenient when heading toward the highway.

Boat / Race Day

  • Water + electrolyte drinks
  • Breakfast bars / bananas
  • Sandwiches / wraps
  • Fruit + easy snacks
  • Chips / salty snacks
  • Sunscreen + basic supplies

House

  • Coffee + creamer
  • Eggs / breakfast food
  • Bread / bagels
  • Deli meat + cheese
  • Easy dinner / late-night food
  • Ice + beverages

*Store hours shown are current published hours and can change seasonally. Recheck before the trip.

Travel & Regatta Schedule

Sept. 8–13
Tuesday
08
September

Travel Day · Charleston Crew

Crisp, Will & Christina

Goal: Leave Charleston very early, cover as much ground as practical, overnight north, and set up an easy finish into Portland Wednesday.
Wednesday
09
September

Arrival · Mast Up · Settle In

Primary goal: get Loose Cannon safely to Portland Yacht Services, step the mast, get organized, then a low-key dinner out and a chill evening.

Driving Crew

  • Finish drive to Portland Yacht Services
  • Inspect boat and trailer after tow
  • Unload required equipment
  • Begin mast setup

Dan & Rich

  • Fly into Portland
  • Coordinate airport transportation
  • Meet team at PYS and/or house
  • Assist with boat setup as timing allows
Thursday
10
September

Prep · Check-In · Weigh-In · Practice

Official NoR timing: Equipment Inspection 9:00 AM–1:00 PM; Registration/Crew Weigh-In 9:00 AM–5:00 PM in PYS Building G; practice starts/practice race 2:00–5:00 PM; all boats afloat by 5:00 PM.

Boat Prep

  • Wash hull, deck and cockpit
  • Inspect bottom, keel and rudder
  • Remove unnecessary gear
  • Check all running rigging

Rig Tune

  • Mast position / forestay
  • Upper and lower shrouds
  • Mast straightness / prebend
  • Backstay, vang, traveler, mainsheet
  • Jib cars and spinnaker system

Practice Race Priorities

Dial In Before Race 1

Boat Speed

  • Baseline rig settings
  • Upwind balance and helm feel
  • Jib lead positions
  • Mainsheet / traveler setup
  • Speed and pointing against nearby boats

Crew Work

  • Tacks and gybes
  • Windward sets
  • Offset procedures
  • Leeward / weather takedowns
  • Mark-rounding communication

Starting

  • Time and distance
  • Acceleration
  • Holding position
  • Helm / tactician communication
  • Current effects on the line

Local Notes

  • Current
  • Geographic wind effects
  • Wave pattern
  • Compass headings
  • Wind direction and velocity

After Practice

Championship Racing

Friday–Sunday · Official NoR
Format: Nine races are scheduled over three consecutive days, with no more than four races in a single day. Three completed races are required to constitute a championship.

Friday · Sept. 11

First Warning 11:00 AM
  • 8:45–9:00 AM: Registration / Crew Weigh-In, PYS Building G
  • 9:00 AM: Competitors' Meeting, Building G
  • 11:00 AM: Warning for first race of the day
  • 5:30 PM: Friday Night BBQ at Portland Yacht Club
Recommended team target: arrive at PYS by approximately 8:15 AM to allow rig checks, gear loading and the competitors' meeting without rushing.

Saturday · Sept. 12

First Warning 11:00 AM
  • 8:45–9:00 AM: Crew weigh-in for approved replacements only
  • 9:00 AM: Daily competitors' briefing
  • 11:00 AM: Warning for first race of the day
  • 5:00 PM: Lobster Bake at Portland Yacht Services per latest organizer update
Recommended team target: arrive at PYS by approximately 8:15 AM for boat prep before the 9:00 AM briefing.

Sunday · Sept. 13

First Warning 11:00 AM
  • 8:45–9:00 AM: Crew weigh-in for approved replacements only
  • 9:00 AM: Daily competitors' briefing
  • 11:00 AM: Warning for first race of the day
  • 3:00 PM: No warning signal after this time
  • After racing: Haul out + Awards at PYS
Sunday priority: be ready for a fast post-racing haul-out, breakdown and awards sequence.

Key Racing Rules / Equipment Reminders

Before Racing

  • Government-issued photo ID required at registration weigh-in
  • Electronic competitor liability waiver required
  • Valid IJCA measurement certificate and required equipment inventory
  • Proof of marine liability insurance: minimum $300,000 per incident

On the Boat

  • Vakaros Atlas 2 or Atlas Edge required for RaceSense
  • VHF radio capable of international channels required
  • OA-issued bow numbers remain affixed through final haul-out
  • Boat must remain afloat during the event unless written permission is granted

Official Notice of Race

Version 8/21/26 · Amendment #1

2026 J/24 US National Championship Notice of Race

The official nine-page Notice of Race is embedded in this webpage so the crew can download it directly from this page, including when the HTML is saved locally.

Download Official Notice of Race (PDF) Official YachtScoring Event Site

Official Social Schedule

Organizer Update · Aug. 25
Skipper Bag: Necessary event items, drink tickets and parking passes will be distributed in the skipper bag. Keep the bag with the team after check-in.

Thursday · Welcome Happy Hour

5:30–8:00 PM

The Clam Bar Portland
199 W Commercial St, Portland, ME 04102

Immediately after the practice-day program. Each boat receives 10 drink tickets redeemable for sponsored drinks. Food specials available.

10 drink tickets / boatDJ Eagle ElectricFood available
  • Mast Landing beer
  • Ice Pik Vodka
  • Goldie's Gin
PYS → Clam Bar

Friday · PYC BBQ

5:30–10:00 PM

Portland Yacht Club
40 Old Powerhouse Rd, Falmouth, ME 04105

BBQ dinner hosted by PYC. Five dinners per boat are included, so the full Loose Cannon crew is covered.

5 dinners includedPickled BeatsCarpool
  • Mast Landing beer and Besides canned beverages
  • Goldie's Gin & Ice Pik Vodka at the bar
  • Bring reusable event cups
  • Parking is limited; parking passes are in skipper bags
House → PYC Extra Dinner RSVP

Saturday · Lobster Bake

5:00–10:00 PM

Portland Yacht Services
100 W Commercial St, Portland, ME 04102

Downeast Lobster Bake with lobster/chicken, beer, cocktails and live music. Competitors are responsible for crew tickets at $50 per person.

$50 / personOrder via YachtScoringDJ Eagle Electric
  • Choose chicken or lobster when purchasing
  • Orders must be in one week before the event
  • For 5 crew: $250 total if all attend
  • Drinks: Mast Landing, Ice Pik, Goldie's
  • Mixers by Maine Love Water
PYS Map

Sunday · Haul Out & Awards

After Racing

Haul Out / Awards

Complete haul-out following racing, followed by the awards ceremony.

Pat's PizzaMast Landing Beer

Team Action Items