Working on gold distance, does this sound about right?

I've done three silver distance flights this spring and am working
through the rules for a gold distance. I fly our club Standard
Cirrrus. I just bought a Colibri II approved flight recorder.

Questions:
Does this sound correct? I want to do a 3 turnpoint closed course
that is about 320km in total. I will declare a start and finish point
that become my loss of altitude reference points. I won't worry about
release altitude because I will cross the start line and finish line
at altitudes that don't get me penalized. I will make sure to cross
the start and finish lines in the center, and be inside each 500KM
radius turnpoint cylinder. All course turnpoints will be in the FR
prior to flight as well as the required pilot/ship information. FR on
and confirmed by OO prior to takeoff.

What about my Colibri II? Does it have to be physically out of reach
during flight?

I understand the need to have an OO do preflight and post flight
duties. ... Aaron