I consider a low-friction sail track to be essential safety gear on a multihull. You MUST have the ability to reef while running downwind if you are overpowered. If overpowered, never round up: If beating, ease the sails, but if reaching (especially broad reaching) the only safe tactic is to make a quick turn downwind to ease apparent wind... then reef while running.

The issue is the situation I refer to as "line of death", and you can read about it in my 2008 post at this link http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f48/multihull-capsize-due-to-lack-of-experience-12809-6.html#post138314. That's a good thread for new multihull owners to read.

Quote:
"This issue of heading up vs. heading down is a fundamental tactical difference in heavy weather multihull sailing vs. displacement monohull sailing. While the displacement mono tactic is to round-up, the greater speeds and initial stability of a multihull can make that dangerous unless you're already on a close beat (in which case you're better off to just ease the sails rather than head up -- and further increase apparent wind).

Someone else in this thread "nailed it" in mentioning centrifugal forces of the boat and weight aloft as working in your favor to force the windward hull down, and at the same time the downwind acceleration of a multihull allows immediate reduction of apparent wind, so the faster you make that turn -- the better.

One more very important point to add which hasn't been mentioned here is that full-battened main with low-friction (preferably ball-bearing) batt-cars is an essential multihull safety item, IMHO. In overpowering conditions it is ONLY possible to reef the main downwind if you have that equipment. Regular sail tracks and slides (and especially bolt-rope luffs) will not allow downwind reefing when pressed hard. If you can't reef while running downwind then you're trapped in a run to leeward because a turn (to a reach, or especially rounding upwind) will make apparent wind rise and you may cross the "line of death" that results in capsize.

The other very important advice to any new multihull sailor is to reef for the gusts, not for the average wind strength. That will improve comfort and safety greatly, and shows good judgment. That judgment is generally lacking in racers who are trying to ride the edge of performance limits, which is of course why so many racers capsize (and make unfortunate headlines). "

Another issue to be aware of is that the Corsair C/F31 has very narrow sterns in the amas, and that lack of buoyancy aft means that it is more susceptible to being blown backward and over in extreme high winds - yet another reason to run rather than round up.

My recommendation is to drop and secure all sail well in advance when you see a squall line approaching, at least until you know just how much wind you're dealing with in the pressure wall ahead of the storm. That's what I do, and my boat is much heavier (and slower) than yours.