I have been noticing lately that many sailors have de-emphasized their mainsails. In some cases to the point where the main is the first sail to come down when the going gets tough and often does not even get set in the first place.
I guess this trend is understandable because of the advent of reliable and easy to use roller furling on headsails, but it's also a mistake and potentially dangerous.
We Need Our Mainsails
When things get gnarly, our mainsails are our friends. And without them, our options are severely limited. Let's look at why.