Boomkin bumpkin questions

[Eastward ho 24]

Hello all,....I'm back.... I'd like to say thank you for all the responses I've gotten thus far, so here's where I'm at ; I'm pulling the mast and replaceing the standing rigging. So far I have all the upper and lower shrous material and have a plan formulated, as to what I'm going to be doing. (replacing upper and lower tangs, upping wire sizes,fabricating bronze chainplates to the hull sides,bronze toggles and bronze turn buckles [is there a reason there isn't 3/8 bronze Clevis pins?].) which leads me to my boomkin,which is currently 2x3 solid wood and my back stay is attached to it. I'll be fabricating/welding a new one. I've decided on going with of 304l( if I cant find it in 316l) sch 40 ss pipe which is 1 1/2" od x .120 wall x 1.26 Id. Which leads me to the question the stays that go under the boomkin, what are they called? And is there a reason to use stays rather then hard pipe? I assume the stays are better to prevent shock loading? Is this the only reason? Gathering the materials to build the new boomkin and trying to decide wether to replace the stays with pipe or to build new wire stays. Here's a few pics of the current boomkin .Thanks