We raise the centerboard so we can deep reach and tack downwind, and on this point of sail we're happy to get a little more leeway from lack of centerboard. By tacking downwind we can set up our own apparent wind and sail faster than true wind, and VMG is arguably better than if we headed DDW.

Of course keeping the main up also gives us the ability to blanket the asymmetric, for safety, as you described Evans. However, I did get in a situation with my prior boat when I let the sails become unbalanced and the boat rounded up -- overpowering the rudder. We were in building conditions and already borderline to being overpowered, and when we lost our downwind speed we were beyond safe range on the verge of capsize. I was too slow to release the asymmetric control lines and almost lost it. There were several lessons learned from that, not the least of which is to lower the chute sooner in building conditions -- as a cruiser there is no need to take chances with safety margins.