You could load the front of the 17 ft SR with a few rocks so you could paddle it from the back, but I think if you had any wind it would still be tough. I'm getting the bigger solo just because of the dog factor. The two of us together is over 300 lbs. I've paddled my old tandem solo a lot of years ago, but it's only 15ft and I wieghed like 150 lbs. so I could paddle it from the rear empty... well with my dog. That dog was made for canoeing. If you leaned one way she'd keep the canoe balanced leaning the other. If I asked her to move forward or back she would.