Some very good friends have a sailboat, and when I talked to them last weekend, they were working on the “brightwork.” Not knowing what “brightwork” actually was, I had to ask about it. They explained that it includes any exposed metal or varnished wood on a boat, anything that needs to be bright and shiny, and sent me a photo of an interesting example.
It turned out to be a “Dorade” box or vent. It has a cowl that looks like a horn and funnels air into the box and the cabin below. The cool part is what’s happening inside the box. In the Dorade box are a series of baffles that only allow air to pass, keeping out rain and ocean spray. It’s a very ingenious design that was introduced on the racing yacht “Dorade” in 1929. Hence the name. The design of this very interesting nautical device has evolved ever since and appears on boats large and small.
You have to agree that the Dorade box on my friend’s boat really sparkles, and it is very clear that “brightwork” is “hard” work. – Dr. Tom
