What is "dolphin striker"

dolphin \dol"phin\ (d[o^]l"f[i^]n), n. [F. dauphin dolphin, dauphin, earlier spelt also doffin; cf. OF. dalphinal of the dauphin; fr. L. delphinus, Gr. delfi`s a dolphin (in senses 1, 2, 3, & 6), perh. properly, belly fish; cf. delfy`s womb, Skr. garbha; perh. akin to E. calf. Cf. Dauphin, Delphine.]

1. (Zool.) A cetacean of the genus Delphinus and allied genera (esp. Delphinus delphis); the true dolphin.

   Note: The dolphin of the ancients ( Delphinus delphis) is common in the Mediterranean and Atlantic, and attains a length of from six to eight feet.

2. (Zool.) The Coryph[ae]na hippuris, a fish of about five feet in length, celebrated for its surprising changes of color when dying. It is the fish commonly known as the dolphin. The term is also applied to the related Coryphaena equisetis. Called also dolphinfish and (especially in Hawaii) mahimahi. See also dolphinfish and Coryph[ae]noid.

   Syn: dolphinfish, mahimahi.

3. [Gr. delfi`s] (Gr. Antiq.) A mass of iron or lead hung from the yardarm, in readiness to be dropped on the deck of an enemy's vessel.

4. (Naut.)

   1. A kind of wreath or strap of plaited cordage.

   2. A spar or buoy held by an anchor and furnished with a ring to which ships may fasten their cables.
      --R. H. Dana.

   3. A mooring post on a wharf or beach.

   4. A permanent fender around a heavy boat just below the gunwale.
      --Ham. Nav. Encyc.

5. (Gun.) In old ordnance, one of the handles above the trunnions by which a cannon was lifted.

6. (Astron.) A small constellation between Aquila and Pegasus. See Delphinus, n., 2.

   Dolphin fly (Zo["o]l.), the black, bean, or collier, Aphis ( Aphis fable), destructive to beans.

   Dolphin striker (Naut.), a short vertical spar under the bowsprit.

n. (context nautical English) A near-vertical spar between the bowsprit and martingale

n. spar under the bowsprit of a sailboat [syn: martingale]

A dolphin striker (an older term for a martingale boom or simply a martingale; sometimes called a striker) is a small vertical or near vertical ancillary spar spanning between the bowsprit and martingale thereby redirecting the tension in the forward end of the martingale slightly more vertically. This vertical component is necessary to more effectively oppose the forestays' mostly upward tension on the forward end of the bowsprit than would be the case in the absence of the dolphin striker.

Around 1813 some large sailing vessels experimented with double strikers: these had two downward-pointing spars forming an inverted V in the middle of the bowsprit. However, the practice was short-lived as it did not seem to provide any additional benefit. The dolphin striker's length was typically half the length of the spritsail yard or, when spreaders were used, the same length as one spreader.

On a catamaran such as the Tornado and the Cobra where the mast is stepped on a beam between the hulls the dolphin striker provides support for the beam in order to support the mast load.