Not to threadjack or cause more argument, but 2 things to consider:
1. The 300' law does NOT apply to the new pier. The city has not approved any such law. The original 300' law was bound to the OLD pier at 6th Ave. South. Unfortunately, the new pier has no law safeguarding it from people in the water coming close to it, not only for their safety, but for the liability of all those on the pier and the possibility of a completely unintentional injury caused by a weight or hook. There are several signs along the pier that state "Caution: Hooks, weights and fishing line" but "technically speaking" it is not illegal to be under the pier, simply foolish, dangerous and ill-advised. If the hooks and weights don't get you, then the massive undertow and swirling currents combined with the increased wave activity SHOULD keep you away, especially in a yak.
2. Example from this past Saturday- I got to the pier at 730ish AM. There were plenty of surfers in the water for the contest going on, but they were all keeping a good distance from the pier. OK, cool! Sometime around 9am, a swarm of yak-boarders and kayaks were in a "race" from south of the pier to a spot somewhere north of it. There were about 7 people, myself included, who had big surf rods out and trolley rigs set up for kingfish, which as most of you know involve 2 or more very sharp treble hooks on wire leaders. There were literally about 30 lines going straight out, the longest being about 100 yards before going underwater. The group of yakkers were trying to take the shortest route around the pier and quite literally came so close, I could read the name and model on the side of several of them. One was bold enough to even come right up against the pilings straight down from "the T". Words were thrown on both sides, along with some hand gestures and name calling. The "safety boat", which was supposed to be where they had to go around made no effort to keep them a safe distance away from the pier, and even threatened to press charges because he accused one gentleman of throwing weights "at every person coming by", which I tell you as a witness, was NOT TRUE. The cops eventually came on the pier and evaluated the situation and eventually everyone calmed down and went on their merry way. OK, so it was a long story...
The point is, we all fish the same areas, and would like the same courtesies extended to each other. If you are daring enough to brave the waves under the pier where there isn'y anyone fishing at all, that's your business, and possibly your funeral. However, if you want to fish farther out for the blues, whiting, kings, cobia, tarpon (saw 3 hooked Saturday

) cuda's and sharks, then just pay the 4 bucks and go on the pier. It's a lot of fun, there are some great guys and girls on there, and you get fish stories for free.