I was out of the Caterpillar boat launch yesterday for the first time and it seems to me like a drift boater would be fine along there on a mild day. In fact you could motor/row upstream on the inland side and then drift down the Columbia side if the current got too quick. Although we were out during the outgoing and it seemed pretty slow anyway. Smallest boat was a 14 footer with an 8hp. Drano might work too since it's in off the main river.