About Bristol Bronze
Those of us who own traditional/classic yachts face a perplexing problem. The
manufacturers of traditional bronze fittings are either out of business or have switched
their lines to aluminum and stainless steel to accommodate the fiberglass boat market.
All too often a traditional/classic boat owner must compromise. Frequently, deteriorated
fittings must be retained during a restoration and safety thereby jeopardized. Exacting
reproductions are often less than completely authentic because aluminum or stainless steel
fittings must be used in place of the original bronze.
Recently some large discount marine supply houses have begun to import very poor quality
fittings cast in brass. The casting is usually done in Third World nations in a high lead
content brass. This material is very weak compared to Bronze and does not stand up well in
a marine environment.
It is unfortunate that modern fittings, although very functional, are designed to be mass
produced and lack the grace and aesthetics of earlier designs.
Bristol Bronze will continue to expand the number and variety of the bronze fittings that
we produce for as long as the boating community is interested in reproducing/restoring
yachts of classic design. In addition to the fittings in this catalog Bristol Bronze is
also capable of custom design and manufacturing.
Most of the fittings that Bristol Bronze produces are illustrated on the following pages.
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