What Is the Name of this 'Thing,' and How Do I Replace it ?

[sww914]

This piece attaches to the stay that supports the bowsprit. It's not a dolphin striker exactly because it doesn't have another spar in the middle. Maybe it is?
Anyway, I want to remove this mysterious fitting and have another made from stainless. The rig is up. The mast is deck stepped. It's a cutter so there's a second forestay who's name also escapes me (and I'm under the influence of nothing). Can I loosen the backstay, shrouds, and forestay and leave the other stay (babystay?) in place for a few days and have the mast stay up? It's in a boatyard so it shouldn't be rocking around too much, but it is the SF Bay area so if the ground rocks like it does sometimes the boat will rock too.
I can easily make a temporary replacement out of mild steel if necessary but I won't waste the time if I don't need to.

[senormechanico]

Bobstay. It's actually under tension when sailing with the headsail.
The bowsprit should be strong enough to take static loads from the headstay while the boat sits.

[Bash]

I've heard it called a "martingale" as well, but I also go with "bobstay."

[SariTimur]

I think he is referring to the fitting that is on/thru the hull. Not the actual bobstay.

[s/vfootloose]

It's a bobstay tang. It is usually a T shaped fitting. It should have 2 holes in it though one for the bobstay and one for a zinc.

[capnorv]

Darn S/V Footloose, something I know, you're right, kudo's. I don't believe a sacrificial zinc would help much unless the fasteners go to a bond. It appears to be a fiberglass hull, but what the hay, it's only $5, give it a try.

[senormechanico]

When we purchased our Lord Nelson 35, the broker (who was also one of the designers) told us the extra hole was the attachment for an anchoring chain hook line. It gets the anchoring point down low for better scope and takes the load off the windlass while preventing chafe on the bobstay.

We used about ten feet of 3/4" three strand with a hook on one end.
The other end was spliced to an eye and attached to the boat with a S.S. shackle.
After setting the hook, we let out about another ten feet of chain.
Never had any chafe issues and it was easy to deploy/retrieve.

[S/V Alchemy]

I have a "two hole bobstay tang" also, although on my steel cutter it is simply a four inch by half-inch steel plate exiting the stem at the waterline. The upper hole terminates the pin holding the bobstay, and the lower hole (currently empty) is to secure a snubber to bring the "fulcrum" of the chain down to the waterline, increasing the effectiveness of the rode by decreasing the lever arm of the chain right at the roller at the end of the bowsprit.

That hole has to be four or five feet aft of the roller, so it really makes a difference and it makes the "jerking" of the chain on the bowsprit considerably less. Senormechanico has it right.

If you don't have this sort of setup (or if, as in the above example, it looks corroded and ready to snap off), you can rig a rode bridle by running rope rode and hooks on either side of the bow, and down to the chain rode at the waterline.

Earl Hinz and other anchoring authorities discuss all these techniques in their excellent boats.

[SkiprJohn]

I call it a bobstay fitting and have one for sale. Mine was originally designed for a 42 foot cutter.
kind regards,

[SkiprJohn]

Your forestay (babystay) should be able to hold your mast up just fine when you remove your bobstay to take out the bobstay fitting.
A dolphin striker would be a spar leading down to about the center of your bobstay from the stem of your bow. I don't see one on your rig.
kind regards,