Ganz, I can't see your post on my newsreader,
so I answer to this post instead, after reading
your post on google:

This is not meant as criticism, but why did you
call the coastguard ? Was that necessary ?

A few month back I was on a boat that lost the
mast and we decided that we had to cut it
loose to avoid damage to the hull.

But I wonder if we could have salvaged the rig.
Had we cut all but the wires, halyards and
sheets except for the aft stay, the boat would
have been blown to leeward of the rigging and
it might have been safe to start the engine and
pull the rigging in to sheltered water where it
might have been possible to drop the anchor
and get some of the gear onboard.

Since the sails were damaged, the mast broken
and most or all of the standing rigging would
have to be changed anyway, I don't think we
could have saved a lot of money, but anyway,
I wonder if it would have been possible.

And ... an experience like that really makes you
remember always to keep a well dimensioned
wirecutter onboard.