Brightwork also known historically as "bright work" refers to the exposed and

varnish Varnish is a clear Transparency (optics), transparent hard protective coating or film. It is not to be confused with wood stain. It usually has a yellowish shade due to the manufacturing process and materials used, but it may also be pigmente ...

ed wood or metal work of a boat. The metal is usually

brass Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc, in proportions which can be varied to achieve different colours and mechanical, electrical, acoustic and chemical properties, but copper typically has the larger proportion, generally copper and zinc. I ...

bronze Bronze is an alloy consisting primarily of copper, commonly with about 12–12.5% tin and often with the addition of other metals (including aluminium, manganese, nickel, or zinc) and sometimes non-metals (such as phosphorus) or metalloid ...

that is kept polished, or stainless steel, which requires less maintenance. In the past, due to the environmental exposure experienced by boats,

corrosion Corrosion is a natural process that converts a refined metal into a more chemically stable oxide. It is the gradual deterioration of materials (usually a metal) by chemical or electrochemical reaction with their environment. Corrosion engine ...

and UV damage made maintaining brightwork both Sisyphean and extremely labor-intensive. However, with the development of improved UV-absorbers and filters in the chemical composition of the various marine varnishes (

spar varnish Spar varnish (occasionally also called boat varnish or yacht varnish) is a wood-finishing varnish, originally developed for coating the spars of sailing ships, which formed part of the masts and rigging. These had to withstand rough condition, b ...

polyurethane Polyurethane (; often abbreviated PUR and PU) is a class of polymers composed of organic chemistry, organic units joined by carbamate (urethane) links. In contrast to other common polymers such as polyethylene and polystyrene, polyurethane term ...

, or linear polyurethane), this work is not as intensive as it once was. Varnished finishes are maintained by sanding and re-finishing,{{cite book, author=Rebecca Wittman, title=Brightwork: The Art of Finishing Wood, url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sTP1ndssg0AC&q=%22tropics%22, year=1990, publisher=McGraw Hill Professional, isbn=978-0-07-157981-0, page=100 and metalwork is maintained by polishing.

Popular culture

The demanding labor of brightwork maintenance has been a storied part of maritime life for some 250 years, since before the days of William Mountaine and ''The Seaman's Vade-Mecum'' (first published 1744). As a result, it is occasionally referred to in the broader culture. For example, in the song "When I was a Lad" from the

Gilbert and Sullivan Gilbert and Sullivan refers to the Victorian-era theatrical partnership of the dramatist W. S. Gilbert (1836–1911) and the composer Arthur Sullivan (1842–1900) and to the works they jointly created. The two men collaborated on fourteen com ...

comic opera, ''

H.M.S. Pinafore ''H.M.S. Pinafore; or, The Lass That Loved a Sailor'' is a comic opera in two acts, with music by Arthur Sullivan and a libretto by W. S. Gilbert. It opened at the Opera Comique in London on 25 May 1878, and ran for 571 performances, w ...

'', in which Sir Joseph Porter, the

First Lord of the Admiralty First Lord of the Admiralty, or formally the Office of the First Lord of the Admiralty, was the title of the political head of the English and later British Royal Navy. He was the government's senior adviser on all naval affairs, responsible f ...

, recounts that he climbed the political ladder in large part by his ability to "polish up the handle of the big front door".

Lord Nelson Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson, 1st Duke of Bronte ( – 21 October 1805) was a Royal Navy officer whose leadership, grasp of strategy and unconventional tactics brought about a number of decisive British naval victories during the French ...

might have cast a jaundiced eye on such an attitude, but surely those brave boat owners who persevere in completing their own brightwork varnishing project will feel that they have "gained the most splendid and decisive victory", albeit one that was perhaps "dearly purchased".

References

Nautical terminology Sailboat components