My first solo canoe was a 13' Mad River
Posted by: g2d
on Jan-03-13 7:55 AM (EST)
Compatriot, about 30" wide. Not quite a "pack boat". I found that while it could carry overnight camping gear, even with light backpacking gear, it was too loaded down. I think you're wise to look at solo canoes up to even 15+ feet long, because they carry gear better, and they're fast enough to keep up with kayaks adequately.
If you want to sit, you can make a seat that holds your butt a few inches above the bilgewater.
I use an 8' double blade (a bit over 240 cm) with a high angle style in my canoes. I've found that low angle paddles, like my Werner Camano, don't work properly for high angle, and my 240 Camano is too short for low angle, even sitting. I suggest that you just accept a high angle style. If the blades drip, concentrate on a sharper, more forward, catch. For some reason, proper paddlng seems to cut way down on paddle dripping.
With a truly fast hull that tracks well, you may do as well or better with a bent shaft and "hit and switch."