Crossword clues for bobstay
bobstay
The Collaborative International Dictionary
Bobstay \Bob"stay`\, n. [Bob + stay.] (Naut.) A rope or chain to confine the bowsprit of a ship downward to the stem or cutwater; -- usually in the pl.
Wiktionary
n. (context nautical English) A strong rope or chain rigging running from the end of the bowsprit to the ship's stem or cutwater
Wikipedia
A bobstay is a part of the rigging of a sailing boat or ship. Its purpose is to counteract the upward tension on the bowsprit from the jibs and forestay. A bobstay may run directly from the stem to the bowsprit, or it may run to a dolphin striker, a spar projecting downward, which is then held to the bowsprit or jibboom by a martingale stay.
Usage examples of "bobstay".
Very carefully, Doc hooked a leg over the chain and, gripping the chain with his right hand, the stempiece with his left hand, he sat on the bobstay chain.
Then, seeing that he was entirely surrounded by Spaniards, he left the spar and swam as well as he could to the bow of a great ship close beside him, and grasping a rope trailing from the bowsprit, managed by its aid to climb up until he reached the bobstay, across which he seated himself with his back to the stem.
I got it loose, swam to the bow, climbed up the bobstay and jib basket, got into the forecastle, got under a light sail because I figured there was enough wind they wouldn't use the light sails.