I love hiking and I'm starting to love longer cycling trips too. I've done combined cycling/hiking trips (cycling to the trailhead of a hike). Last summer I met someone who carried an inflatable raft on his bicycle, as well as hiking equipment. Ever since, I've been thinking of the unprecedented possibilities of such a combination. However, I've never done any packrafting (nor other kinds of water-navigating, though I can swim well).
How much skill and experience does it take to use a packraft (with or without a bicycle)? My intention would be to use it on lakes and sheltered fjords, not on wild streams. However, it can be windy on lakes, and the lakes in question are quite cold (usually 4°C), so it's not without danger. Is it fine to get started by simply reading info from books, websites etc. and get on the raft, or should one really start with a proper course in safety?