Well, Chuck and Matt were also sailing Blades, were they having problems with tacks? I find in big wind I ease the main a BUNCH (at least a foot of line, maybe 18") as I pass under the boom, because I don't want to get flipped if the crew is slow to get out on the wire and we get a puff with the main sheeted in.

Also, if you are getting stopped dead in the water by large waves, you will need to bear off and power it up before you go back to pointing, so you want to have the main eased so the jib can pull the bows down and you can get it moving again as you trim in the main and get settled in on the wire.