I thought about a regular canoe,and try a side mount.i have never talked to anyone that has tried it? if anyone has let me know.the canoe at dick looks real comfortable!
OK to really answer your question, my canoe is an old school battleship of a Grumann All Aluminum 17' with the low or medium height keel.
It tracks medium straight. You can get those old boats with an ever taller keel that will really hold a straight line. Especially with a side mount motor.
On the new school all smooth /slighty rounded bottom canoes that are popular these days.. that really don't offer much to hold a line, as they have NO KEEL, the fun is less fun. Its like trying to push the ceral bowl with out pushing against the center.
And to turn the motor, lefty and righty, you need to run it deep for clearance under the boat - OK on deep water - on the below Whitney's Brazos - you can't.
OR push it out far away from the boat and run shallow, even half out. Splash slpash gurgle gurgle style, with the increase in leverage degrading the tracking.
Hence the square stern.
But really - it worked OKs - and who does not like added weight, wires -
Motors pissed me off most as I'm a flyrodder and a motor is clutter. You ever cast a fly rod ?