Bobstay

Ok kiddo, so you know when you go to the playground and you play on the swings? The swings are attached to something called chains, right? Well, when boats go out to the water, they have something called a bowsprit - which is like a long pole that sticks out from the front of the boat. And sometimes, they attach a cable or rope called a bobstay to the bottom of the bowsprit and to the hull of the boat.

The bobstay helps keep the bowsprit in place and stops it from moving around too much when the boat is sailing over big waves. It's a bit like a swing chain for the bowsprit, helping to keep it steady while the boat moves around.

So just like how the chains on the swings are important to make sure you have a fun and safe time, the bobstay is important to help boats stay steady and safe when they're out at sea. Does that help you understand, little one?