Rowing CS-17s and 20s from the center thwart?

[MisterMoon]

This is for people who have Core Sound boats with oar sockets positioned for the center thwart rowing position. How often do you you use it? 

When I got my boat it had oar sockets only in the center position. In use I've discovered it's too much of a hassle to pluck the mizzen mast in order to use them.

 

Since I've had the boat, I've added sockets for rowing from the front cockpit and also another set aft to allow rowing from the helmsman's cockpit (using a removable thwart). The reality is I pretty much use only the front position, even when singlehanded. The only time the rear position saw a little use during an EC when I wanted to row while my crew slept up forward.  

[Terry Dunn]

I voted "Often. Almost every time I go sailing". But i should qualify my answer. On my CS 20 the oarlocks are far enough aft for me to drop a temp seat aft of the mizzen to row. Not great but works good enough to get around. For the last ten years I have planned a rowing station forward of the mizzen. I even bought the oarlocks. I just have not gotten around to installing them. Perhaps in the next ten years I will get that done.

[mattp]

After I voted "Never...", I picked up on the comment about having oarlocks sockets positioned for rowing from thwart. I do not. I didn't install them here because I never imagined it practical to pluck the mast out and stow while out on the water. I also don't think I would take this boat for a pleasure row leaving the masts on shore.

I put the oarlocks forward of the mizzen and I straddle the cb case sitting on one of my plywood bunk boards, only needed on the wider port side. I have limited time so far with this arrangement (bits and pieces of a 3 day cruise) but it seems to work ok. I have realized, though, that any breeze would make rowing difficult to impossible except maybe dead downwind.

[MisterMoon]

I voted "Often. Almost every time I go sailing". But i should qualify my answer. On my CS 20 the oarlocks are far enough aft for me to drop a temp seat aft of the mizzen to row. Not great but works good enough to get around. For the last ten years I have planned a rowing station forward of the mizzen. I even bought the oarlocks. I just have not gotten around to installing them. Perhaps in the next ten years I will get that done.

I have a similar arrangement. But I'd put you in the "never" column since you don't actually use the center thwart.