I find myself being that guy who may be going solo in a couple of weeks. Curious what your thoughts are on using my Spirit or renting a solo. I've got a Basswood Base/Agnes permit and not looking to cover a ton of miles but there again I just might. Thanks in advance.

I paddle a tandem solo all the time. My ONLY time taking a dunking was IN a true solo so I've learned the value of stability and ease of loading over sheer speed.
My opinion of course.

Paddle backward from the bow seat. Put your heaviest  pack as far forward as you can. I take OUT the stern seat to do this. Lightens the canoe too. You want to be slightly bow heavy in most conditions except maybe a strong wind at your back. Then you want just the opposite so the stern doesn't weather-vane.

If you have a Double Paddle or can borrow one, take it. That will make it easier to go into the wind and you'll really fly with it at your back.
 
Keep your packs below the gunnels too. Anything that sticks up and catches wind will make it harder for you to control the canoe solo.

Another item that I used last trip and won't go without is a 15 liter dry sack. About a $20 item.
If you find your bow still isn't heavy enough, you fill the dry sack and lay in in the bow. Will make a world of difference. Just dump out and refill if you portage.

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I used to use a kayak paddle from the stern of my Royalex Spirit II with a young child in the bow seat. The Spirit is a wide canoe so  paddling it backwards will be a little tougher. Unless its windy, paddling a properly trimmed Spirit from the stern would be my advice.

solotripper wrote on Jul 9^th, 2019 at 12:30pm:

Another item that I used last trip and won't go without is a 15 liter dry sack. About a $20 item. If you find your bow still isn't heavy enough, you fill the dry sack and lay in in the bow. Will make a world of difference. Just dump out and refill if you portage.

If you get one of those with an air-bleed/purge valve, it serves as a handy spigot for camp water dispersement.  Been using one of those for that purpose for years.  If you hang it from a tree (I use a length of rope and a carabiner to make attachment/positioning easier), it also makes a reasonably good backwoods shower.

dd

I too solo a tandem all the time. It's a 16 ft. Wenonah Boundary Waters.  I use a center seat yoke from Spring Creek and paddle from the middle of the boat.  I use a seat back for support. I too like the stability and roominess.  As stated above just trim accordingly.   
Safe travels......Mike

DentonDoc wrote on Jul 9^th, 2019 at 9:20pm:

solotripper wrote on Jul 9th, 2019 at 12:30pm: Another item that I used last trip and won't go without is a 15 liter dry sack. About a $20 item. If you find your bow still isn't heavy enough, you fill the dry sack and lay in in the bow. Will make a world of difference. Just dump out and refill if you portage. If you get one of those with an air-bleed/purge valve, it serves as a handy spigot for camp water dispersement.  Been using one of those for that purpose for years.  If you hang it from a tree (I use a length of rope and a carabiner to make attachment/positioning easier), it also makes a reasonably good backwoods shower. dd

This is what I love about the QJ and these discussions that often get off track.
  I never thought of this but will the next time I buy a dry sack.

  I see the Spirit has a bucket seat option which makes my suggestion mute. If it has web seats, try it both ways with ballast in the bow to see which feels better to you.

I did that with the Souris River tandem. The first couple of trips I paddled from the stern. Hard to turn. Wanted to get closer to the center so I switched to bow seat.

Again it's a matter of what works for YOU.

I have a Bell NorthStar (16'6" x 34") that's been used as a solo BW tripper twice.  It works great.  I mounted a seat about 18" behind the center thwart and removed the bow and stern seats.  When paddling, I shift my weight to the side I'm paddling on, which heels the boat and makes it more responsive to control strokes, something I do in my solo boats all the time.

The Spirit II has a little rocker - not much - and leaning it will greatly improve its maneuverability.  The more you lean, the more responsive it will be.

Thanks, I have paddled it solo while fishing with rocks in the bow and really like the stability. But is it too much canoe? Paddling behind the center thwart seems to work the best. I'd rather not rent a solo. Since I am not looking to cover a ton of miles I will probably go with it.

My wife and I have paddled our Spirit II approximately 4,000 miles and love I.  I only paddle it solo when I am fishing.  The fact that it is asymmetrical bothers me when I paddle from the stern seat.  It is probably just mental but it still bothers me.  I actually wish it was a symmetrical canoe.

I used to have a Spirit II in Kevlar and I found it difficult to solo. I was paddling from the bow seat, turned around. It was hard to turn and caught the wind a lot. Hard work.

That said, keep in mind i’m not a big guy, and the canoe was unloaded. I was paddling on Superior for an afternoon, and another time in Toronto harbour, of all places ( don’t ask).

With two paddlers and a load, it’s a good boat for big water. For one light guy and no load, it was a pain in the butt.

Acipenser wrote on Jul 17^th, 2019 at 11:33am:

I used to have a Spirit II in Kevlar and I found it difficult to solo. I was paddling from the bow seat, turned around. It was hard to turn and caught the wind a lot. Hard work. That said, keep in mind i’m not a big guy, and the canoe was unloaded. I was paddling on Superior for an afternoon, and another time in Toronto harbour, of all places ( don’t ask). With two paddlers and a load, it’s a good boat for big water. For one light guy and no load, it was a pain in the butt.

I think any tandem solo/unloaded is going to be hard to handle in even a light wind.

Weight the bow, add a double paddle and it's a whole different beast. It will never be as responsive as a true solo BUT I've made it work and for me the pluses outweigh the minuses.

If you own the boat already why not test paddle it first at home. Approximate your load and try it.