dolphin striker

9.9

A short pole under the bowsprit of a sailboat that holds a rope to keep the front rigging tight

noun
/ˈdɑlfɪn ˈstraɪkər/

Specialized

: striker de delfín

The crew inspected the dolphin striker before setting sail to ensure the rigging was secure.

Examples

During the restoration, they replaced the damaged dolphin striker with a sturdier one.
A broken dolphin striker can compromise the stability of the bowsprit and the whole rigging system.
The dolphin striker is essential for maintaining the sailboat's rigging.
I need to check the dolphin strikers before we set sail.
The crew inspected the dolphin striker before setting sail to ensure the rigging was secure.
During the restoration, they replaced the damaged dolphin striker with a sturdier one.
A broken dolphin striker can compromise the stability of the bowsprit and the whole rigging system.

Synonyms

martingale

vsdolphin striker

Specialized

9.9

A bar under the front pole of a sailboat that stops the pole from lifting

supports the other spar beneath the bowsprit to maintain rigging tension

Surface Forms

dolphin striker singular

dolphin strikers plural

Morphology

dolphin + striker

The components 'dolphin' (commonly a marine mammal) and 'striker' (one who strikes or a striking part) do not transparently combine to indicate a short spar under the bowsprit; this is a specialized nautical label rather than a compositional meaning. Because the term is technical jargon and the constituents do not point to the documented function, a B1 learner knowing the words would not be able to derive the MWE's meaning.

Etymology

The noun dolphin striker comes from a small pole fixed under the long pole at the front of a sailing ship; one popular story says the word dolphin named the little downward pole and striker showed how it 'strikes' or presses down. This small pole holds a lower rope and keeps the ship's ropes tight, so the name now means the short spar that supports the front ropes.