Bowsprit

Bowsprit held down by a bobstay

Bowsprit with forestays and bobstays

The bowsprit of a sailing vessel is a spar extending forward from the vessel's prow. The bowsprit is typically held down by a bobstay that counteracts the forces from the forestays. The word bowsprit is thought to originate from the Middle Low German word bōchsprēt – bōch meaning "bow" and sprēt meaning "pole".^[1]

It is sometimes used to hold up the figurehead.

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Bowsprits.

• The dictionary definition of bowsprit at Wiktionary