If you want "large carniverous animals" Mary, come and sail "down under".
I was reaching on a leg last summer in a place called "Esperance" in Western Australia and out on trapeze with one hull about 2' out of the water, I watched as a long dark form of about 12' to 14' passed diagonally under my windward bow and as my head uncontrollably followed it I unconciously put the helm down as I twisted my body to follow that "shape" and proptly put the lee bow deep into the water and was thrown about 15' through the air into the water in front of the cat. The "little fish" that I had seen and I came to an agreement, -if it didn't bite me I wouldn't bite it - Seemed to work OK!
About "getting the bows head to wind" it is imperitive that you take your body weight (on the hull) right up to the bow , or as near as possible, then the cat WILL come head to wind. The only cats that I know of that have some difficulty with this is the Hobie 14 and the Hobie 16, as they tend to be more unstable fore and aft when on their side due to their unique hull shapes.