I typically paddle the stern seat and always with my knees hooked under the gunwales, rod handle behind one knee and rod body in front of the other knee.  I read about people who kneel with their feet under the seat, but with 2 junk knees and size 11 EEEE width shoes, that ain't working for me.  Until last September I had never paddled with a foot brace, now I will always have on in my own canoes.  It helps considerably with a second position to rest my knees.

My Mad River Independence is too wide at the middle to hook my knees under the gunwales without a stretch, but the Magic is considerable narrower.  I tried to mock up the Magic width with some c-clamps and pvc pipe, but it was hard to tell much .

I always come with questions.........You mention the value of a sliding seat for trim, so while sitting in the middle of a solo with no second canoe around to eyeball your trim, how to you know whether it  is out one way or the other?  How it handles? Intuition?  Shadow of the waterline  seen through the hull?  Camper bubble lever glued inside the hull?

Regards,

MossBack