Brightwork

On boats, particularly wooden boats, brightwork is exposed metal and varnished woodworking, though amongst the yachting set it more often refers to the woodwork. The metal is usually brass or bronze that is kept polished, or stainless steel, which requires less maintenance. In the past, due to the environmental exposure experienced by boats, corrosion 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, polyurethane, or linear polyurethane), this work is not as intensive as it once was. Varnished finishes are maintained by sanding and re-finishing, and metalwork is maintained by polishing.