Baumaffe
Colloquial term for a silent orientation control: a letter or number sign on a tree, lamppost or post that the co-driver enters in the control card.
What is a Baumaffe?
Baumaffe (‘tree monkey’) is the colloquial German term for a silent control – also called an orientation control (OK) or ‘silent sentinel’. It is a small sign bearing a letter or number combination that the organiser places clearly along the route: on a tree, a lamppost, a post or a traffic sign.
How it works
As the car passes, the co-driver enters the sign in the next free field of the control card (Bordkarte). In this way the team proves that it actually drove the prescribed route and in the correct order. Unlike a manned control, there is no stamp here – the control is ‘silent’. Missed or wrongly noted Baumaffen lead to penalty points.
Relevance for rallying
Baumaffen are found above all in navigation events and complement the written driving instructions from Chinesenzeichen or tulips. Rather than a stamp, they rely on self-recording via the control card. An attentive co-driver who keeps an eye on the surroundings is worth their weight in gold here.
Practical tip: enter every Baumaffe at once rather than relying on memory – the next one may follow immediately. Watch both sides of the road and write clearly, as characters such as I and 1 or O and 0 are easily confused. On night sections good interior lighting helps.
Glossary from A to Z
Related terms
Silent controls
Unmanned controls that verify the route driven: number or letter codes or place-name signs that the crew records in order on its control card.
Veteran vehicle
The official Swiss term for a vehicle first registered more than 30 years ago. The status is entered in the registration document and brings registration advantages.
Matching numbers
Collector term for a vehicle whose major components (engine, gearbox, axle, frame) still carry the original numbers that match one another and the factory records – an indicator of originality, not of identity.