Does the cape Dory 28 have a bobstay?

[TheLastPirate]

I've just gotten my 28 to the house to start the refit and I noticed there isnt a bobstay under the bowsprit. It has the bronze angle price bolted on but that's it. In the line drawings there is a bobstay. Anyone have a 28 without one?
Thanks

[Jerry Hammernik]

Mine has a bobstay, sometimes called a dolphin striker. Never seen a 28 without one. Is the boat new to you? Can it be stored somewhere aboard or with the mast? It isn't necessary to remove when taking the mast down.

[Walter Hobbs]

There is an early 28 at the yard where I have my boat. I think it is a '76. It has a cast bowsprit with an angle of the casting extending downward. No bobstay and it looks to be original equipment.

[mgphl52]

I've just gotten my 28 to the house to start the refit and I noticed there isnt a bobstay under the bowsprit. It has the bronze angle price bolted on but that's it. In the line drawings there is a bobstay. Anyone have a 28 without one?
Thanks

What year or hull number do you have? My 1982 #319 definitely has a bobstay/dolphin striker.

[Seaweed2]

I have no bobstay on my 1975 CD28 hull #46. So far it has not hampered my sailing! Thankfully we have no dolphins as yet in Lake Ontario, but the way things go these days it would not surprise me.

The bowsprit has remained fast and leak free so far without any indication of compromise. I have read of others with serious corrosion inside but such is not the case with mine. I suggest worming your way into the front peak and verifying that all is well from the inside perspective.

[John Stone]

Mine has a bobstay, sometimes called a dolphin striker. Never seen a 28 without one. Is the boat new to you? Can it be stored somewhere aboard or with the mast? It isn't necessary to remove when taking the mast down.

I have never heard a bobstay referred to as a dolphin striker. I have heard bobstay and martingale used interchangeably though I think there are some technical differences between the two. I have always believed a dolphin striker to be a supporting spar that extends downward from the stem to the bobstay increasing the bobstay angle to the kranz iron giving the bobstay a better angle and more leverage on the bowsprit. It essentially increases the loads the bobstay can withstand to counteract the headstay.

I am always interested in learning new nautical terms (there are so many especially in traditional sail) so please correct me if I am wrong about this.

[Carl Thunberg]

John - That has always been my understanding too. There's also a restaurant by that name in Portsmouth, NH.

[Bill Goldsmith]

The "dolphin striker" is actually a spreader for the bobstay that is not used on CD-type designs. I never really liked that term, but even Wikipedia acknowledges its use:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobstay

[Jerry Hammernik]

Learned something new today. I love this board! I never wanted to hit any dolphins with any part of my boat. (Not likely to happen on Lake Michigan)

[TheLastPirate]

Thanks for the replies. I don't have the hull number at the moment. It is a 1975. Yes it is new to me. It has a cast bronze angle plate under it. I don't see where there is any slot for a eye to protrude from the bow. Unless it was removed and faired. I can get the hull number if it makes a difference.

[TheLastPirate]

Here's a pic

[Bill Goldsmith]

Interesting. Does the forestay attach at the end of the bowsprit? Or near the end of the bronze bracket? Or at the stemhead of the hull? Hard to tell from the pix. Curious whether the bracket takes the rigging load or is just meant as support for the the anchor.

My first CD was a 27 that I am 99% convinced was custom built by CD with a teak bowsprit rather than the usual CD27 bronze stemhead fittings. It was quite obviously a factory one-off because the sprit and the rollers were classic CD. I've never seen another 27 like that. However, the forestay attached directly to a tang through the sprit to the hull, so the bowsprit was only for anchor storage and did not take any rigging loads. No bobstay and no bracket.

[TheLastPirate]

Here are a couple better pics. It's overcast today. Next time it's sunny I'll try to take more. It seems like someone cut the teak flat at the front and made their own anchor roller.
I was going to get some teak anyway. I could make another teak platform up there. Maybe that's where the eye went that would attach to the bobstay. Or does anyone know of this was something that started later , after 75.
I do have a opportunity here to make a long spirit so I could fly a roller light air sail forward. I don't want to go too far for not much improvement though.

[TheLastPirate]

I have no bobstay on my 1975 CD28 hull #46. So far it has not hampered my sailing! Thankfully we have no dolphins as yet in Lake Ontario, but the way things go these days it would not surprise me.

The bowsprit has remained fast and leak free so far without any indication of compromise. I have read of others with serious corrosion inside but such is not the case with mine. I suggest worming your way into the front peak and verifying that all is well from the inside perspective.

I think the stay took the place of the bronze angle thing we have...I suppose I'll remove it and rebed everything and check the backing hardware.