Jimshaw,
I've been making solo cedar-strippers of my own design since about 1990 - 13 foot, 26 to 30 pound pocket cruisers designed to go upstream. Ability to go upstream frees me from shuttles - and after all, a solo canoe is a solo canoe.

So, I've paddled 450 miles up the Rio Grande and have made several ascents on less remote rivers.

Lightweight boats and UL backpacking go hand-in-hand.

Solo canoes have a different dynamic than tandems and must be designed from the er...ground up... as solo boats, not simply scaled up from tandem designs. A good solo cruiser will track like it's on rails, but turn easily if leaned slightly.

Trim (forward to aft weight distribution) is critical. Shifting gear around is ok. Sliding seats help. A few water jugs or wine bladders that you can fill or empty as needed are very handy when not traveling loaded. Very handy when the wind comes up to prevent weathervaning.

To see what one can do and how to do it solo with a tandem canoe, watch Bill Mason's (Path of the Paddle) videos. Outstanding.