This is similar to what the Lewis and Clark Corps of Discovery did on their first day. They only paddled about fours hours (a half day journey) and then made camp for the night. This let them ensure they had everything needed, that it was packed in the right manner and place, and that the embarking/disembarking procedures worked. If something was missing or wrong they would could get it corrected without a huge loss. They still lost the day, but the psychological advantage gained by only having to paddle downstream a little way was enormous.

Practice in the backyard, porch, balcony..anywhere but the real hike.