On some Ships ( British Merchant Navy) It was always the duty of the "Stand-by man" on the morning (8-12 noon) watch to polish the brass in the wheelhouse, and mightily teraputic it could be too. Especially if you had a Hangover and the smell of the Brasso didnt turn your stomach over completely. I always found it very conducive to philosophical musing too, It was, along with cleaning the Messroom and scrubbing its floor one of those Morning watch jobs, and as we were on 5 hour watches that is 12 to 5, 5 to 10, 10 to 3, 3 to 8 and then the short 8 to 12, it meant that it rotated through the two watches , so you did it every second day.