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wrote:

No Don... at this point in time I haven't. I do have a friend/mentor
with a "captain's" rating that will show me the ropes so to speak.
However... I do intend to get into texts and/or classes such as what
you mentioned.

As a kid I did a lot of solo clear water sailing and ever since have
loved the sea and ships. Now in the Autumn of my life (I am 65) I now
have the time and wherewithal to become an owner/operator of a small
sloop (Cat 34) which I will use for some coastal blue water cruising
out of Ventura, California.

Consequently I have started monitoring this forum as well as others
for input. And yeh... I've got a lot to learn. But at this stage
of my life I think I will enjoy the experience.

Best regards

Good for you! I mentioned the courses mainly because of the
navigational skills and safety info you might require, especially since
you're a fellow 'coastal sailor'. I'm not sure if you get as much fog
as we do on the East Coast, but I hear the swells are usually bigger in
your waters.
A 34' sailboat is not so small. I crewed on a Mirage 33 for years and
the only time it felt too small was when the skipper invited too many
'social sailors'.