Some really good ideas here, I've been using the home rule of:
1. Having to use two crew actions for sails the entire time you are in the red and one for the first turn upon coming out. This represents all the work and extra crew that goes into tacking. So you just play the sail change chits while in the red, but don't actually change your sail setting. This way if you are undamaged and not repairing or pumping, you can fire, as you still have 2 actions to fire or reload, on the other hand, having 2 actions used up during a tack it could be bad if you have lost any sort of crew or are pumping or repairing, it makes it a dangerous maneuver to intentionally undertake.
2. The first turn after completing the maneuver (typically the 3rd turn) you must play the 5 red card forward, this simulates the time it takes to accelerate from the turn.
Question I haven't had it happen yet, but I wonder what one would do if you ended up in the red after a 5 veer card? The card for that is straight forward and straight back, there is no rule or option to get out of that currently, as the red card for a 5 veer is 5 itself, repeating the backwards motion after the 2nd turn.
I believe I would use a rule where on the 3rd turn of the 5 veer card you must choose the red card that wears you back towards the wind.