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If by jerky steering you mean sloppy in that you turn the wheel with no response and then all of a sudden she oversteers, then I would check the steering system. Start with the cable leads around the quadrant access via the lazarette. You want these to be taut just like belts on an engine. There should be 1/2 " deflection at the midpoint, and very little to no play when turning the wheels, i.e., the rudder should respond immediately to wheel movement.

The second area to check is the rudder itself, specifically the bearings. In our case we had a loose lower bearing. You should be able to grab the bottom of the rudder and see no more than 1/8" deflection side-to-side. If you have more play or the lower bearing spins, or the rudder is generally loose, then you need to find the cause and correct it. Check the bolts through the access port in the cockpit. Everything should be snug.

Now there is a possibility that nothing is wrong, and what you are experiencing as jerky steering is normal sailing with swells and tide affecting your steering. This happens to us, but typically with following seas where she surfs the wave and turns as a result. You indicated that you were sailing upwind and we typically experience a stiff ride upwind with the steering keeping very true and responsive.