Also this year we're still working on the spi control. I think it's realistic to say that we experience no problem what so ever in a wind up to 18 knots. But when the gusts are getting bigger or the basic wind is increasing, there are still moments that we are loosing the control once in a while. Last saturday we went out sailing again, and it happened a few times again, but we caught it on video. I made a video of that day, and left two moments in on purpose, to show you. I hope you can tell me what we are doing wrong here. Two times after eachother we experience a gust of around 20 knots. You see the cat's diving in the water with the bow. Of course the hull is getting up, and therefore my natural reaction is to let go of the sheet. We already were sailing with the traveler far out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KYCMV1yFIk (see at approx. 1 minute)

The questions we have:
1) Of course what are we doing wrong here. Should we anticipate better/earlier, or do we anticipate in the wrong manner?

2) We've been told that we should keep the sheet at such length just before the point that the spi collapses. When the wind increases the length of the sheet increases. But just that is making that the spi will sometimes collapses hard. (hope my English is explaining right) Is it right to lengthen the sheet when the wind increases?

3) And probably the most stupid question of the day: In September we participated in a long distance race, where we eventually sailed 40 km to the wind, and 40 km downwind. The wind was 5 bft, and when going back the wind force was increasing with gusts of 6 bft. We were tired, and had multiple moments where the spi was taking off with us. Also the new spi course was not very helpfull, so we decided to take it in, and proceed without. However we were not used at all to sail downwind, with this kind of windpower, we never did it before, and had to figure it out when tired and water was flying around our heads. We managed to get back, but lost a lot of time (and places) the last 20 km. We didn't know if we should sail the main with the traveler wide open with such wind, and if we should keep the sheet tight, or let is go? In trapeze or not? Can anybody explain these basics to us?

Thanks in advance, and I wish you all many good sailing hours in 2014!