carwreck.com: around Boston harbor...

Here's an uplifting article about a small boatbuilding company which has gone to bat to provide the best small patrolboat around for the US Coast Guard.

This article on Cars.com which was linked from Boston.com totally misses the point of why many headlights on cars are perceived to be too bright. The article smashes HID headlights as being the bane of other drivers when in fact it is ANY headlight which is poorly aimed. The HIDs which they bash are not any more powerful than regular Halogen headlights. I blame most of the problem on the poor requirements which the Federal government has put on headlights in the US. The so-called DOT (Department of Transportation) headlights mandated in this country try to put light all over the place and usually fall short of providing an even pattern of lighting.

I've used European headlights on my cars for several years now and will never switch back. Technically, they are illegal in this country because they are not DOT approved but European headlights have much better-designed reflectors and lenses which spread light evenly across the road. They concentrate light lower down and have a "sharp cutoff" which means that light does not shine above a certain point and into other driver's eyes. These headlights come with very specific instructions on how to aim them and, when aimed properly, do not shine light at oncoming drivers. I can successfully run considerably higher-wattage bulbs in my lights and no one ever flashes their lights at me in complaint. Just make sure to not be around when I switch to my highbeams, I'll incinerate you.

Instead of making new laws, banning HID headlights and generally reinventing the wheel, the US should take a look at the excellent headlight technology which already exists elsewhere around the world.

Yet another fatal accident in US rallying. This time the occupants of the rally car were the ones who died.

http://www.oregonlive.com/newsflash/regional/index.ssf?/base/news-1/105806491141900.xml

Last Wednesday marked the last race of the Spring Series of Wednesday night sailboat racing that I participate in. I race on "Goldeneye" a Jeaneau Selection 37 in the Boston Yacht Club's Wednesday night races up in Marblehead. We've done pretty well for ourselves, taking first in our class for the Spring Series. Last night was the first race of the Summer Series and we took a second in wind which was a little bit above our ideal range. Our boat shines in very light air. We blundered the first upwind leg of the race and there were five boats around the first mark ahead of us, but the second upwind leg and the second downwind leg saw us rolling over a number of boats and making a huge comeback and we were first over the finish line making for a solid second place finish based on our handicap.

From Scuttlebutt, the daily sailing newsletter:

Briggs Swift Cunningham II, 96, a renowned competitive sailor and sports-car racer, died July 2, 2003 at his home in Las Vegas from complications of Alzheimer's disease.

Perhaps best known in sailing as the inventor of the "Cunningham," a device that allows one to adjust the tension on the luff of a sail, Cunningham also skippered Columbia to win the 1958 America's Cup. Additionally, Cunningham was very established in car racing circles, becoming the first American to challenge the Europeans in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1950. He helped form the Automobile Racing Club of American (ARCA) in 1934, was a founding member of the Sports Car Club of America, and was member number one (the member with the longest seniority) of the New York Yacht Club.

He is survived by his wife of 40 years, Laura (nee Cramer) of Las Vegas, son Briggs S. Cunningham III of Danville, KY., daughters Lucie McKinney of Green farms, CT., and Cythlen Maddock of Palm Beach, FL., and step-sons Bill Elmer and Joe Elmer, nineteen grandchildren and thirty one great grandchildren. Services will be Aug 8, 2003 at 2:30 p.m. at Pacific View Cemetery, 3500 Pacific View Dr, Corona Del Mar, CA. In lieu of flower's, it is requested that donations be sent to the Alzheimer's Association.