Baggywrinkle is a soft covering for cables (or any other obstructions) that prevents sail chafing from occuring. It is made from short lengths of yarn cut from old pieces of line that have been taken out of service, thrummed into a double braid called "railroad sinnet," which is wound in a helix around the rope or spar in question. There are many points in a large sailing ship where the sails come into contact with various lines. Unprotected the sails would soon have holes work in them at these point of contact. Sailors call this abrasion "chafing". A sail is any type of surface intended to generate thrust by being placed in a wind —in essence a vertically-oriented wing. ... A sennit is a kind of flat cordage made by plaiting thinner strands of rope or grass. ...

Baggwrinkle looks like "fuzzy stuff" in the rigging. While it may look to be some sort of marine growth, it is entirely man-made and serves a very important purpose. To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

USCGC Eagle display.

USCGC Eagle display.

Reference: United States Coast Guard Barque Eagle visitor display. Coast Guard Seal The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is a military branch of the United States involved in maritime law, mariner assistance, and search and rescue, among other duties of coast guards elsewhere. ... The USCGC Eagle (WIX-327) (ex-Horst Wessel) is a 295 barque used as a training cutter for members of the US Coast Guard. ...