Does removing the jumpers really help?
It depends on who you ask. Removing the jumpers removes weight and windage aloft, which has tangible benefits. However, removing them also reduces structural support and rigidity in the top 1/3 of the mast, which in turn alters the bending & stress characteristics. Those who advocate removing the jumpers argue that, because you rarely load the back stay in light to moderate conditions (normal for summer in Marblehead), removing the jumpers optimizes the mast for most conditions. Those who favor retaining the jumpers argue that no one has yet demonstrated an advantage significant enough as to warrant weakening the mast.
