If you're in survival mode (30 isn't survival mode) with the spinnaker down, easing the main all the way is detrimental. If you keep the traveler closer to center and sheeted tighter, you won't be presenting as much direct surface area to the wind and therefore will have less force trying to pitchpole the boat.
Yeah, that's my operating principle as well, although the harder it blows, the deeper you have to drive to stay depowered, and eventually you're very close to dead down wind, and a possible accidental jibe. Which is very hard to recover from quickly enough, if at all. At which point you're probably better off taking the main down, difficult as that is. Particularly if you have to round up to head into the wind.
Dave
I've spun out like that before too where the main caught air in a puff/shift and overpowered the rudders. The N20 pin head rudders don't have a whole lot of margin in that regard. If it surprise gybes on you when you have the sheet/traveler more centered, it will most definitely spin out and capsize.
