If you previously sailed a H16 and sailing the H17 the same way, then you are probabily sitting too far back on the H17Sport. When I switched over 4 years ago I did the same thing, fearing a pitchpole. I have since changed my ways. I sail quite often in 20+ winds with 2-4 ft waves and found when pointing I (and crew) have to sit on the front of the wing to keep the boat level. I round up in gusts then fall back off as it subsides. The boat points well when the hulls are level (bow relative to stern). The bow will plow the wave tops a bit, but it has enough boyancy to pop back up. On a reach I sit mid or a bit farther back and on a broad reach I'm planted usually as far back as I can go. The only times I've pitchpoled on the 17 to the point of a capsize is on broad reaches either in gusty conditions or plowed into a wave back. Good sailing