I would agree the game intends to grief. These boats though are designed to do exactly that, tacking. It's the way they are supposed to work. But, I empathize with the position.
Stop sailing briefly? Log out load a alt and sleep, or cook some stuff, anything. Then jump back on the craft, doesn't need to be much 3-5 min of an odd job? And finally one thing I normally recommend in this situation, back-track briefly, until it gives you the head wind again, or when ever, break up the pattern of the same thing, in a bee line for what ever.