If you look at this pic, you can see, what looks to me, to me some sort of stay going from the mast to the hull about halfway between the mast and the stern.
What is that called? How is it used? It seems like it would be in the way if you wanted to let the mainsail out on a run. Do they move out of the way? Are they a pain to deal with?
I only see them on some gaff rigged boats. What determines if they should be included in a design or not? Sometimes they seem to attach to the hull much further forward and don't seem like they'd be in the way.
(I'm not talking about lazy-jacks. I know what those are, but these are not them.)
Thanks!
Greg