Maiden Voyage of Diodati

Diodati is the name I have given to my little packraft which I intend will serve as a tender to get me between Novalis moored away from the shore to the shore. Its advantage is that it is ultra-light and rather reminds us of a pool toy for children. It is a packraft but intended for calm water - no shooting the rapids, designed for short outings on the water.

Paddling is a similar technique to kayaking. A backrest is essential to keep the body upright, because the whole body is involved. I use an inflatable camping pillow which I stuff down vertically behind my back. Otherwise the arms get tired very quickly. It's a good work-out machine for me as well as my bicycle and walking now that the first inklings of spring are with us.

I also found it necessary to remove the plywood bottom stiffening board. As long as the packraft is properly inflated, the plastic-impregnated nylon bottom suffices to bear my weight (which it does with out without bottom board). The board is back in my workshop and the packraft is that much easier to stow without it.

Diodati is stable when I am sitting and paddling. I still need to work on techniques to get in and out. Today I flipped the packraft on getting out, but I was in about six inches of water. In any case, I was wearing my buoyancy aid that I use for dinghy sailing. There was a light wind on the water (Mayenne river) against the very slow fluvial current, which gave a little chop. That was an excellent rehearsal for conditions in a port or harbour. I paddled about a kilometre up the river and back to where I launched. I also need to practice getting in and out on a low pontoon and a high pontoon, and ultimately from Novalis using the rope ladder.

Kayaking is an acquired skill just as much as sailing. There are special paddle techniques for bracing, high bracing, rolling (less in a packraft than in a full-length sea kayak). I have had the benefit of watching YouTube videos about kayaking done by highly experienced instructors.