OK... time for me to chime in:  My favorite solo canoe is a small (16.5') tandem canoe.  In particular, a "Hudson Cruiser" that I built for the purpose.  By removing the bow seat and flipping it end-for-end, I can now sit in the "stern", throw my pack(s) in the bow, and have huge room and stability in spades (great fishing platform).  The setup is similar to an OT Prospector... lots of room, a stern seat, and maneuverability.

I'm a sit-'n-switch paddler, but with this setup I can also go to my knees Canadian style if the wind is bad and I need to move the weight a little further forward for balance (infrequent).

With a "full sized" canoe, I sit higher off the water (better for my back and knees), and feel more at home with the whole stern-view thing going on.

Being a wood strip, the canoe *is* heavier than any commercial Kevlar or Carbon Fiber job (my solo is about 55 lbs).  But it is tough as nails, easy to repair, doesn't flex, bend, oil-can, or twist, doesn't take off like a kite in a wind, and it looks good too :).  When my granddaughter comes to visit, it is the perfect boat for a day trip on a local lake.

If anybody likes the sound of that, the price is right: Less than $800 with all the trimmings if you build from scratch, including the price of the fixtures, jigs, forms, etc.  About twice that for a kit.  

Or... and I hesitate to mention this... I've been considering building one or two canoes a year for sale.  Any size or style up to a full blown tandem.  Send me a PM if interested.  The price would be comparable to a Bell Black Gold depending on what you want for trim, fancy fixin's, etc.  You'll just have to wait for ~4 months (preferably winter ones) while I make it!

TCK