You raise a good question Bruce.. I'm paying an extra $25 a month because of
my bowsprit and I seriously considered something retractable.

I even walked the docks in the LA / Long Beach area looking for ideas.. It
seems the higher the slip rent, the more ingenious the boat owners become.

I saw several folding and about an equal number of retractable. The folding
would require more work, to rig and unrig because of the bobstay and
whiskerstays.. While a retractable just lets these go slack..

If you don't want to have to worry about retensioning the bobstay and
whiskers, then you need a fitting and device on the foredeck to thrust the
bowsprit out against the preset tension. Final tensioning of the headstay
would still be required since that has to be more precises.

I have seen some ideas in books but can't remember which ones. Mostly it
involved the bowsprit coming between Sampson Post pairs. Then secured and
pushed forward with strap that goes behind the inboard/aft end of the
bowsprit. This arrangement would require some wrench work to provide the
final outward thrust.

I wish you well with your effort..

Steve
s/v Good Intentions