“What did you call me?” In classic Resourceful Sailor fashion, I took a different approach to protecting the sails from the spreader tips on Sampaguita, a 1985 Pacific Seacraft Flicka 20. Unable to locally locate spreader boots that fit, I looked to marlinspike techniques and said, “What if I used baggywrinkle?” — those big fuzzy things that you might see on the standing rigging of traditional schooners to protect the sails from chafing when off the wind. The result was effective and reusable. It does require some time investment but is by no means difficult.

Sampaguita had no spreader-tip boots when I purchased her in 2013. The tips that held the shrouds were polyurethane and smooth, so it wasn’t the end of the world. But after the first mast inspection, I realized I wanted to seize the shrouds to those tips to maintain consistent contact points between the two. This wire seizing was going to be a snagging problem, particularly with the 140% genoa, the gennaker, and eventually the drifter.

I went to a local chandlery and purchased some generic factory-made spreader-tip boots I thought might fit. Alas, they did not. Sampaguita has foil-shaped spreaders, and the off-the-shelf solutions did not accommodate that shape. Additionally, these PVC versions can trap moisture, promoting corrosion. Leather versions can be problematic because if they get salty, they also hold moisture, resulting in the same condition. So, I reasoned, “If baggywrinkle works on shrouds, why couldn’t it work on the spreader tips?”

I had plenty of retired three-strand nylon dock lines I could trim up and unravel. The nylon is soft and quick-drying, and lasts a long time. I spent a rainy, dark Pacific Northwest winter evening making a baggywrinkle for each spreader tip. With a trip up the mast, I tied one end to the shroud under the spreader and wrapped it around the wire/tip assembly in a figure-eight-like pattern. There was no scientific approach to this. The importance was to make sure, however wrapped, it stayed put and covered and softened the entire area. The other end was tied to the shroud just above the spreader tip. I kept the knots on both ends as a series of simple hitches that provided plenty of security but would be easy to untie and reuse.

I’ve used the same baggywrinkles for 10 years, had them on and off several times, and traveled 20,000 miles with them. Naturally, the genoa has some soiling where it makes contact with them, but no tearing. Granted, it adds a tiny bit of windage, so racing sailors won’t find them satisfactory. Or, if you are into the sleek modern yacht look, it may not suit your sensibilities. Personally, the Resourceful Sailor loves how it looks and its uniqueness. It is easy to pick out Sampaguita’s mast in a crowded marina.

Here’s a video of Tehe Resourceful Sailor’s baggywrinkle making process:

Remember, keep your solutions prudent and safe, and have a blast.