Kevin,
Make sure you watch the waves, and try to aim for tacking when you have a relatively smooth spot. Taking a wave on the nose while in the middle of a tack will stop you dead. Do use the jib to help push the bows over - backwind it until the bows have made it through the eye of the wind before you cut it and let it go to the new side. As you get to the eye of the wind, let the main out - this will help let your boat keep turning through the tack, but don't release it too early, as it will also help you initiate the turn up.

If you get in irons, most likely the boat will start to go backwards. Use this to your advantage - push the tiller in the direction you wanted to go, this will steer the stern of the boat in a direction that will point the bows properly. Make sure the main is loose - only sheet the main back in once the boat has fully established itself on the desired course. Trim the jib in as soon as you can the boat has passes head to wind - but don't crank it in too hard at first, let the sail breath. To me this is far better than pulling a circle and jibing.