All of the discussion so far has been good but controling the wind is only half the battle. As a single handed sailor it is often difficult to control the rock of the boat in waves. Especialy when the boat has a shorter waterline length. My recomendation when encountering any waves going upwind (Boat waves, chop, swells) is to move your body weight aft. By doing so on a small light boat it raises the bows a good 3-6 inches, reduces the rock of the boat, and allows the daggerboards/rudders on the windward hull to stay in the water. Many of you will say this will drag the transoms but in waves with the boat punching and bouncing through the water it allows the boat attack the waves at an angle which is what you want.
<br> One thing I wouldn't do is rake your mast back. I have seen H-17s do this but with lighter I-17s and T4.9 I would think it would give you so much weather helm you would be fighting the boat in a hard puff to keep it from going into irons. I will probably regret giving you all this information on the race course.
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<br>Keep sailing
<br>J.P. the Terrible
<br>Isotope #186 the Shark Boat <br><br>