On Tue, 20 Apr 2010 17:40:09 -0700 (PDT), Frogwatch
wrote:

Sometimes, close to a lee shore in strong wind, the safest thing to do
is to take the sails down and use the engine to get further out.

I prefer to leave up a deeply reefed mainsail to maintain directional
control and assist with keeping the bow into the wind. Without that
the wind will pick up the bow on every wavetop and push it back to
leeward.