Baggywrinkles. Anti-chaffing gear.
(eta: I think that) The little boy, grown up, was known as Commodore Thompkins in the SF Bay Area. He was featured in Brion Toss’ 1980s PBS series Sail Away.
Care to comment, B ?
eta: It was Robby Doyle’s show, not Brion’s. B supplied the seaman’s input for the series.