Hot water heater kicks off and pilot light goes out

I've had the same problem for the last 2 years. I've cleaned up all the gas tubes, air inlet(no spiders), have a good sized pilot flame. Mine will do that three or four times before the water is hot. I'm wondering if maybe the pilot flame is not situated in the right spot on the thermocouple and actually letting the thermocouple cool down when the big flame is sucking air past it.