Later, Jon served in Vietnam (probably USMC like Larry Wilcox). Traffic Officer Jon Baker. After joining the CHP, as any aspiring motor officer before being assigned to a motor squad, Jon was assigned to a patrol car. In 1975, he met Frank Poncherello and convinced him to become a CHP officer.
You can but don't expect a ton of power, you might get 100W. You would have to connect the pivot points to some kind of ratcheting device and turn a flywheel. Since you are only rowing forward a small portion of the time you will need a flywheel.
For a 24 foot pontoon boat, you may need a 10 to 20 hp motor. This would keep you trolling right and you will have enough power to get back if the main power failed. If you seek the largest motor, you may need to check the capacity plate which is on the boat.