Bright and Brighter

Brightwork is pretty much just varnished woodwork.  Pretty stuff, but the varnish doesn't hold up quite as well as paint and so needs touch up work (sand and recoat) much more than paint.  Still, darned pretty stuff.  I've pretty  well decided that I will have some brightwork on the boat, namely on the gunwales and around the mast step.

Decided to tackle it sooner than later as the recent rains kept bringing out mildew on the gunwales and that just won't do.  So I tackled the matter.  Granted, it was just with a 1/2 pint of Ace Spar Varnish, but this isn't the most expensive boat out there, and I suspect the woodwork will be not be coddled--this is a cartopper after all.

So, after a lot of sanding to get off the mildew, spilled glue, and other defects, a wipe down to get the dust off and then a coat of varnish.  Well it makes all the difference, and will keep the wood clear of other hazards, including the errant paint drip or whatever else happens along.  No, not the most spectacular event of the build, but probably just as important.

Here one can see the gunwales in fresh varnish.  If it keeps the mildew away, all is well and good.