Not sure about an actual row boat but I have done it many times in a 9' fishcat, and now a 10' outcast. Don't go on windy days or days that might turn windy, go in and out with the tide, don't anchor and have at least a couple extra sets of oarlocks (I have broken two on one outing). Oh and don't forget your Wheaties!! It's a tough row definitely, but not too bad if you just stay around the fingers. I got a fat head one day and decided to go out past the jetty in the 9 footer seeing as it was a super calm day and a very light outgoing tide. Even then there were some pretty big rollers and I made a point to never do that again!!
My advice would be if you have any apprehensions at all don't go. At the very least, get out of the marina and don't go past the highway bridge until you get a real sense of the wind. I know from personal experience that the wind can kick up on you thus preventing you from getting back before the tide turns and once that happens it is a BRUTAL row to get back to the marina. Have the CG on speed dial!
The thing about Yaquina is that the wind almost ALWAYS blows in one direction, and to stay out of traffic you have to take this route:
The general route is in yellow. Too far north of it and you're too much in the way, too far south it gets shallow. Of course you can go past the first finger but I WOULD NOT recommend it on your first trip. In red you can see my safety spot behind the south pillar of the shipping lane that I use if the wind kicks up and I need to rest before I have to turn directly into it in order to get up and around the fishing pier and into the marina.
Do not try to cut your row short and slip under the pier. It's tempting but never try it. It's a good way to get hung on an errant rope, or jammed and unable to get back out.
If you are late getting in and the tide is turning back out it's a good idea to stay out of line with the fishing pier once you get around it in case you break an oarlock or have some other problem with your propulsion. You will get sucked right back under the pier if you don't. Unfortunately, I have done exactly this. 30 mins after sundown, late in the fall and alone. I was stuck under the pier and holding on with one cut up hand while I used the other to replace a broken oarlock in the dark as a large tidal change was trying to suck me into the chest high cross section on the other side of the pier. I was under there for at least 5 mins and two attempts trying to get out, and by the time I did my hand was all but numb up to my elbow from all the junk on the pylon getting into the cuts and I could hardly row with it. My pontoon suffered a 4 inch long gash when I initially smacked the first pylon but thankfully in didn't rupture the air bladder. A VERY COLSE CALL!!!!! Be VERY careful, and always consult your tide charts and the CG for the weather. :naughty::naughty: People die inside the jetty just fishing off the rocks. Remember that!
