PAGE 12 • AUTUMN 2005 THE JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SAILING ASSOCIATION
ASA MEMBER BOOK REVIEW • BY JEFFREY J. SCHWARTZ
Title: The Brightwork Companion
Author: Rebecca J. Wittman
Publisher: McGraw-Hill Companies, 2004
Format: 176 pages, paperback
A
lthough by trade I am a professional woodworker, I
learned much from The Brightwork Companion by
Rebecca J. Wittman. I must admit that I was
eager to read this beautifully executed, insightful “how-
to” guide because I was just preparing to do some
exterior refinishing work to some teak on our own 40-foot
sailboat.
The author takes you from methodology and basic facts our sailboat I will refer back to this book time and time
about varnishes, to precisely what products and tools are again. This will allow me to do a superior job and have
available to the average boater. This approach and better looking and longer lasting brightwork, which affords
Wittman’s thorough discussions over thirteen and one- me additional time to enjoy sailing with my family.
half chapters succeed in making the often arduous job of
refinishing woodwork on a boat a bit easier. Jeffrey J. Schwartz along with wife, Deborah Marks Schwartz,
successfully completed the ASA Basic Keelboat Sailing Standard
Wittman’s logical organization and format of the book and Basic Coastal Cruising Standard programs, before
work in sequence of how real brightwork projects are
R
purchasing their 1996 Beneteau Oceanis 400 sailboat. Jeffrey, a
completed, from planning and stripping, to sanding and professional woodworking contractor in Miami, Fla., also
finishing. Even though this book has detailed performs various marine services and distributes a revolutionary
information, she does not get bogged down or go new line of military marine grade stabilized binoculars.
“overboard.” The format she uses to describe each
section of work breaks down smoothly into categories,
such as materials, tools and safety gear. It also includes
optimal weather conditions and proper attire. A brief but
thorough, and sometimes humorous, explanation is given
for all the steps required. It seems that this author did
not leave out anything I would need to have full
confidence in tackling the brightwork project I have in
mind on our sailboat. That project, by the way, is to
refinish the teak around the cockpit dodger area, where
the dodger meets the fiberglass deck.
Many high quality, beautifully executed color
photographs adorn this book, showcasing some
marvelously finished brightwork. The only complaint in
that regard is that I would have preferred to see some
additional photographic illustrations of the process being
addressed as well as some before and after work. That
said, the photography is excellent.
Now that I have read The Brightwork Companion, I feel
compelled to read one of the authors’ earlier works,
Brightwork: The Art of Finishing Wood. This is not
because The Brightwork Companion is incomplete (it
certainly has all one would need to tackle a brightwork
project.) It was so well done that I would like to read
more of her work!
R
I am sure that as I tackle my own brightwork projects on
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