If you don't feel confident then courses are a great idea. I started out on a 10' sailing dingy and then a 17' sloop and I sailed my *ss off all around the Chesapeake Bay! When I was thinking about chartering I got the standard line from the wife of an ASA instructor how would someone put you in a 40' boat worth $300K. When 911 hit I found plenty of outfits in the BVI that were more than happy with my "credit card" sailor experience in smaller boats. I had also worked at a marina and I'd operated much larger boats around the docks. I think I was qualified, I think I was more qualified than most. I didn't find the big boats that much of a challenge out on the open water. I don't berate those with a few weeks of training at school but I find it highly offensive that many think they can say their hundreds of hours of training is better than thousands of hours of real world experience. I've operated many boats in tricky docking experiences, fickle winds and run into weather and waves so high that would turn your hair grey. I parlayed my first experience in the BVI's to sailing the windward islands, leeward islands and the med. There is more than one route to Dublin and I think either is acceptable. I've felt quite confident each time we left on an adventure, if you don't then then feel free to get some more experience and training.