Brightwork: The Art of Finishing Wood [Hardcover]

Rebecca J. Wittman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1990

Brightwork is rarity among boating and boat maintenance books: a beautiful how-to book, with 59 lush four-color photographs that celebrate the incomparable look and texture of oiled, varnished, and bare wood surfaces on boats. Rebecca Wittman's meticulously thorough yet graceful and entertaining text details in 17 chapters how to achieve such stunning results. Chapter include choosing Finishes; The Yacht Refinishing Commandments: Stripping Old Finishes; Intermediate Prep Work; Oiling; The Varnishing Prelude; Varnishing; Maintaining and Repairing Varnish; Rescuing Teak Decks; Tools; and Materials. A glossary and an appendix on safety, both personal and environmental, complete the book.

Editorial Reviews

Review

``Everyone who does varnishing should have this book!--Wittman does an outstanding job of educating in all there is to know about this critical stage of boat restoration--A superb book I highly recommend.'' (Classic Boating )

``It's elegant--elegant as the work it describes so successfully, elegant in its writing, elegant in its photography.'' (Sail )

``Packed with useful information for both amateur and professional refinsishes alike--A first class and highly readable text that should be mandatory reading for anyone who owns or is contemplating owning a wood-trimmed vessel--The book's only drawback is that it's so beautiflly illustrated that you'll need to buy a second copy to replace the one assigned to your cofee table.'' (Sailing ) --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

Rebecca Wittman was born and raised on a cattle ranch near Lewiston, Idaho, one of eight children. After studying opera as a music performance major at the University of Idaho, she moved to Seattle, where she began three careers. A series of positions at Britannia Sportswear led to her promotion to assistant director of a new women's apparel line, with extensive work in the Orient. Her singing career has included nightclub engagements, studio work in Seattle and Los Angeles, and national anthem performances for the Seattle sports organizations, including a CBS appearance for a 1979 NBA championship game.

Ms. Wittman undertook her first brightwork job in company with her sister in exchange for sailing lessons. In 1978 she cofounded a custom yacht refinishing company, The Teak Twins, and within five years completed full or partial brightwork restoration projects on more than 100 yachts in the Seattle area. In 1983 she founded a yacht management and refinishing business in Marina del Rey, California. In 1986 she returned to Seattle, resuming her refinishing work there.

Ms. Wittman has taught brightwork classes and conducts an annual spring seminar on the subject at the Center for Wooden Boats. Her 13-part series on refinishing, which ran in Waterlines magazine in 1986 - 87, drew an overwhelming reader response, as did her three-part series (taken from this book) in WoodenBoat magazine in 1988. Brightwork is her first book. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 182 pages
• Publisher: Intl Marine Pub (November 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0877429847
• ISBN-13: 978-0877429845
• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 8.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #569,377 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #10 in Books > Professional & Technical > Transportation > Ships > Boat Building

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is the book to buy!, December 8, 1999

By 

Peter Dykstra (Barrie, Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Brightwork: The Art of Finishing Wood (Hardcover)

I'm firmly resolved to hereafter always buy how-to-do-it books written by women. Brightwork tells you everything, unlike most h-t-d-i books that tell you everything except for that one elementary essential detail that you probably should know, but don't.

And when you just can't get up the energy to do yet more tedious prep work on your boat, you can just pull out the book, read some of Rebecca's engaging prose, drink in the beauty of the photographed boats, and next thing you know you can't wait to tear into your project again.

This is the book to buy.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful Book, August 14, 2000

By 

Chris Freeland (Early, TX) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Brightwork: The Art of Finishing Wood (Hardcover)

This book is a delight to read and enjoy. The photos are spectacular and Wittman is a wondeful arthur. I found the book extremely educational on the subject of brightwork and entertaining to gaze through numerous times just looking at the incredible photography. It definatley has a place in any boating library.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must for every wooden boat owner., December 30, 1998

By 

[e-mail] (Scappoose, Oregon) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Brightwork: The Art of Finishing Wood (Hardcover)

We bought this book when we purchased our 1942 40' cruiser. Rebecca taught us what to do (and not do) to keep "September Morn" in excellent condition; what to use and the tools you will need to do the job right. We learned very quickly that if we followed her refinishing program, we could spend more time cruising and less time sanding.