How did this happen? I am sure it is possible, especially if you have
no knowledge of sudden thunderstorms but............
I'd ease the jib sheet while rolling it in and also ease main sheet.
At first sign of a squall, or even thunder, I start engine just to have
it ready.
When the jib is furled have someone go on cabin top and pull down main
even if you are not into the wind but use engine to go into the wind.
However, allowinbg the lines to whip around should not cause real
problems, particularly with the jib sheets, if it does, perhaps you
need to rethink how they are led. I can imagine them getting caught on
the forehatch.
Other than flogging, how can easing the main cause problems? How can
it tangle? Perhaps you tried dropping the main without someone to pull
it down?
If you had gotten the jib under control, allowing the main to flog
should have kept you turned into the wind.
Something is wrong with this scenario, it doesnt seem to fit how my
boat behaves.
Doesnt the boat have weather helm to make it turn into the wind? Mine
does. Under such a situation, she'd turn into the wind so hard you
couldnt hold her off the wind, eventually the heel would be so much the
tiller wouldnt grab and she'd round up into the wind.
Next time, be prepared for sudden winds from a squall, they dont happen
out of nowhere (most of the time). Even thunderstorms imbedded in a
background frequently announce themselves by thunder and then by a
blast of cold wind. When you feel that cold wind, get those sails
down. However, you made it all work and know what to look for next
time.