To De-Power a Hobie 16

Starting from Full power
Both out on the trap and no problem with power
Rake is set so the main is block to block main leach is tight and the jib leach is tight.

De-Power in stages as the wind increases.

1) Drop main traveler about 3 inches and jib traveler one inch (this allows you to easily get back into full power mode if it get lighter). Add Cunningham.
2) Start to rake back a bit. Rake will do a lot of things. It will move your center of effort back, meaning you will be less likely to pitch-pole. It will move your center of effort down a little. It will present a flatter main (depth/chord length) to the wind. It will allow you to get block to block with more twist in the main dumping air. The last is maybe the most important
3) Drop travelers more and add Cunningham.
4) Rake back more
5) There is a point where you will probably reach a maximum rake and traveler down. It is most likely not the maximum attainable. At this point you probably need to pinch more and well. Tactically in this velocity it may be faster to sail in the lulls.

hard for me to imagine retensioning the jib halyard while racing, hard enough to do it on the beach. can you describe how you do it? is your halyard calibrated with marks? also how much slack is in your jib stay? when i'm cranked down block to block in heavy air the slack in the jib stay is used up, even if i start with 6-8"" of slack in the stay when i tension the jib halyard on the beach. in lighter air i would have less slack.

Ideally you want to get the halyard set correctly before the start. If you need to change it, a good crew can do it down wind. Don't try to do it up wind. My halyard is calibrated with marks.
Slack in the headstay will mostly come out up wind and I'm sure it will not be a factor when two are on the wire.
The good guys say don't worry about rig tension but rake is critical.