What is this thing on my back stay??

[Chris "Tako" Green]

So yesterday we finally took the boat out for a sail with my lashed blocks up top as a temporary sheave replacement for the mainsail. Im learning a lot about the boats needs now that I've actually taken it out for a sail but also now I have more questions. For now the question is what is the foam black, PVC, nylong rope contraption on my backstay?! Seems like there is an important white stick in there too? Some kind of antenna in the case I sink? It will float to the top of the back stay on the foam?
Photo is attached, thanks in advance for any answers!

 

[Pete the Cat]

Looks like the cover for the flag on your man overboard pole. Appears to be hand made arrangement.

 

[Loren Beach]

Agree with Ray, and also it's good to overhaul that important piece of MOB gear regularly. That float-on-a-pole also should have a (approx) 20' floating line tether to your horseshoe or life ring. You toss the whole ensemble overboard to have a visual reference to locate the person that fell in, and they in turn can paddle over to the pole-with-flag and find the horse shoe and hang on to it while the boat circles around and retrieves them.
Next, they climb up the boarding ladder you have lowered down for them... and if your boat does not have such a ladder it'd be a good idea to add one. (I did that for our boat, with a used SS ladder sourced at a swap meet.)
Edit: pix of our ladder: https://ericsonyachts.org/ie/ubs/the-swim-ladder-project.158/

 

[Chris "Tako" Green]

Awesome thanks for that!!! I will for sure overhaul this thing. I do have a ladder that attaches to the tail so good to go there. Thanks for the info!

 

[Christian Williams]

Also, consider a horseshoe buoy for connection to the tallboy marker. I believe the life ring you have is good for throwing but awkward for the victim.

Different MOB systems are required by offshore racing and those rules change. For my coastal daysailing purposes a simple Lifesling-brand system seems to make sense. Deploying elaborate stuff really requires a crew capable of paying attention.

 

[Chris "Tako" Green]

I’ve seen a lot of people have the life sling bags on their rails. I don’t know all the differences but I grabbed the ring because it was cheap and required. I’ll look into upgrading my setup soon.

 

[Loren Beach]

I’ve seen a lot of people have the life sling bags on their rails. I don’t know all the differences but I grabbed the ring because it was cheap and required. I’ll look into upgrading my setup soon.

Very good instruction video.