Baggywrinkles

[LadyStardust]

Do people sell Baggywrinkles, does anyone have a source, or instructions on how to make. Looks like the kind of thing were you take a big bit of rope, twist tie, make into a circle, turn inside out , cut from centre and behold a baggywrinkle, like making paper doyleys?

Cheers,

 

[Bajansailor]

Have a look at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baggywrinkle for a general definition,

while here is an excellent description re how to make it : http://www.schoonerman.com/sailingterms/baggywrinkle.htm

 

[Mirelle]

Yes, indeed, but do try to avoid using the stuff if at all possible. It may look quaint, but it is windage just where you don't want it!

It is nearly always possible to avoid using it by altering the lead of the gear.

 

[skipperscouse]

my mate , the owner / skipper of espanola , got the local sea scouts in preston to make his, he supplied the materials and paid a donation to the troup.
also he gave a few bob to each of the cadets.
they jumped at the chance, great training for the cadets.
pete

 

[Bajansailor]

As Mirelle notes above, baggywrinkles will contribute a fair amount of windage, especially if you have enough of them to be effective (re stopping the mainsail chafing on the rig and spreaders).
Although I guess you could just put them up for the transatlantic pasage, and then take them down when you arrive out here in the Windies, but that would be a lot of work I reckon.

As you are a cutter rig, you could perhaps look at not using the mainsail at all when running down wind. Ie just use the staysail or large working jib poled out to windward, and the genoa flying to leeward, perhaps with the sheet led through a block on the end of the main boom (and the main boom let out all the way, and securely strapped down). This works well for us, especially if we dont sail directly down wind - we go much faster, with less rolling, if we sail on about 150 apparent.

Or if you have the luxury of twin poles, maybe you can roll up two genoas on your furling system (if it has an extra luff foil, and can cope with the extra load), and then sail with them goosewinged, while still keeping the wind slightly on the quarter rather than dead astern.

 

[LadyStardust]

Thanks for the replies, And yes to bajansailor, I may well take the main down altogether, solves the problem of Jibes, boom in the water etc. I have 5 different headsails, both staysail and jib are twin grooved furlers, plus two poles, so load of options to try. Not done such a long passage before, and it is just for this passage that I'm concerned. Really I'm looking at all my options, I have lots of sticky back Dacron to put on the main that may work, the Baggywrinkles appeal purely on the aesthetic front, Lady Stardust is the kind of boat that would look good in baggywrinkles. They might be a bit pretentious on a modern AWB.
Oh and thanks for the link, having looked at it, I'm going to make some up just for the hell of it. Looks like a great thing to be doing while lazing in the cockpit sipping sundowners

 

[Bajansailor]

You certainly do have lots of options at your disposal for down wind sailing, that is for sure! With two poles and lots of possible headsail combos you shouldnt have to worry about using the main, unless say the winds do get very light and you want to use it in addition to twin headsails on about 140 apparent to build up more apparent wind.

Definitely very therapeutic making up baggywrinkles while on passage, even if it is just one or two wrinkles each side in way of the spreaders.

Re the 2800 miles across the pond, have done it a couple of times, and it is a damn sight easier than going across Biscay, or even the channel really. We had calms in mid atlantic, 40 knots behind us for a bit, but mostly a reasonably steady F 3-5 tradewind pushing us along nicely.

Put a line over the back, very short, with the lure (pink squids are good) one boat length behind the transom, skipping in the wake, and you will have no shortage of fish (especially dorado) for dinner.....

Fair winds, and fine sailing ahead!

 

[keelbolts]

My wife couldn't remember what to call those rope things on the backstays so she called hem fuzzywarts - she knew it was "something wrong with your face..."

 

[trouville]

I use 18mm rope to make baggywrinkel and wrap it around my stays just to look *traditional*!! it works as well! no one else this year had it!Not even real traditional boats!

I just take it down before leaving port normaly as it s pointless!!!Point less sorry!

Never use it if you "drift" into a port this year i was washed into La Rochell washed almost aground i zoomed past the visitors pontoon(my first time there) as looked the last pontoon had an empty place i used that and looked for the capitain

As noone came i stayed where i was the capiatin asked me "where are you" i pointed and that was that i was just another small white sailboat!!Baggy wrinkel would have had me paying two day fees!!!!!!!!

Oh you just comb out the rope! its easy comb it out and wrap it around the stay!
If you need i can show you how its really easy