I don't want to worry you but... You will need 2 oars and the character to sit in the middle operating them, otherwise the boat would (in the real world at least) go around in circles. Also the character will need to sit facing aft (away from the pointy end) otherwise the boat would go backwards.
TR
Hello, as Frith says, rowing with one oar to 2 hands the sense of rowing is accurate only if you use the brackets as a lever for rowing you have to sit down.
As for the row in circles I know of this, unfortunately still are not expert enough to create an animation that changes the side of the boat to row.
The decision to sit on the side of the boat is given by the need of the oar did not intersect the starboard side of the boat.
My intention is to create a working version but not real for our pw, once acquired quite familiar with animations, make a real version with double oars and seat aft. I always I have ability.