Baby stay needed with swept back spreaders?

[Auspicious]

A friend has a Beneteau 50. The rig is double spreader, swept back, and has a baby stay. It looks like the baby stay got taken up too tight and pulled the deck away from the bulkhead below that is supposed to carry the loads into the hull.

What is the function of the baby stay in that configuration? Don't both the swept back spreaders and the baby stay apply force in the same direction to the mast section? What should we look for and anticipate if we do away with the baby stay?

[Brion Toss]

Hello,
Something is very wrong here, and it may or may not involve the babystay. What do you know about the mast bend and rake? What is the tension on all wires? Does the babystay attach at the height of the lower spreaders, or somewhat below?
Fair leads,
Brion Toss

[Auspicious]

I'm having dinner with them tonight. I'll get more detail then. I haven't sailed her since last summer so memory isn't so good.