Brightwork: The Art of Finishing Wood [Hardcover]

"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

A rarity among boating and boat maintenance books: a beautiful how-to-book, with 59 lush, full-color photographs that celebrate the incomparable look and texture of oiled, varnished, and bare wood surfaces on boats.

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.