In conditions like that maybe a mast float should be a requirement.
Why, I think turtleing the boat would have been a good idea as soon as his crew got free and was becoming separated.
I assume that the crew would not have gotten separated if he did not have to worry about righting the boat, and preventing a turtle.
To not have to worry about turtling would have given him time to get her on the boat, and the harness fixed at least temporarily. If you have to turtle a boat, then carry pliers and either take a pin out or cut the shroud. I got a nice pair of linesman pliers. At that point, though, it's really Plan B, as Jake said.
To stop these kinds of "cascade"/"slippery slope" series of problems takes a couple of minutes to pause in a calm, safe place and get things back in order. I have heard it said often: If the boat capsizes, don't let go of it.
That said, how could he have gotten the boat to stay into the wind in those kinds of conditions and taken a look at the rudder?
