The rather daunting first stage of the conversion, a big jagged hole in the deck ! After a few minutes with the jigsaw, the kayak was much lighter !

To the left, you can see the first 3mm ply strip being epoxied to the deck to create the new laminated coaming.

After planing, sanding and varnishing, it's all looking neat and tidy again.

The sail rig came from an old (beyond repair) puffin dinghy.

The 30sq ft unstayed bermuda with two part mast was ideal, with a fairly low centre of effort, and all spars could be stored within the kayak. The only slight drawback was that being sleeved, it could not be reefed.

I fitted one leeboard to a rigid pivot carved from a wooden block and faired into the side above the waterline.

The simple aluminium plate just swiveled down, and could be held up with the lanyard and jamb cleat.

The lifting rudder was similarly made from a sheet of aluminium plate, swiveling in a wooden stock.

The control and lifting lines were led forward to the cockpit (front seat).

The foot operated rudder bar could be moved along the central, fixed bottom board, to enable steering from the forward seat, or central seat, when solo. The swivel 'gripped' the sides of the board and was locked in place with a brass bolt.

Also visible in this picture are the stowed spars and the longitudinal buoyancy bags, up under the deck. (I had also fitted watertight bulkheads under the fore and aft decks, for buoyancy).To the right can be seen one of the fore under-deck struts, which I fitted to stiffen everything up after making the longer, single cockpit opening.

A block of teak was carefully shaped to fit snugly in the apex at the front of the cockpit coaming to step the mast, with the foot socketed into the central bottom board (no stays).

The bottom boards were spinkled with salt after the final coat of varnish, which was than dissolved away after it had dried. (A nice tip a dinghy sailor gave me for creating a cheap non-slip finish !)

The original fibreglass moulded seats were kept, and the front one was arranged to slide along the centre bottom board to enable it to be placed centrally for solo use.

Behind it can be seen the footrest for the rear paddler, and the padded backrest for the forward paddler, (with the second position brackets behind).

The aft seat could also be moved for comfort.

The bungee cords keep the rear stowage in place, and the bilge pump can also be seen here.

The velco loops on the deck hold the paddles when not in use, or sailing.

Here's the overall view when rigged for sailing.

The sheet is carried on an adjustable rope yoke threaded through eyes on each coaming side.

The boom outhall is lead forward to a small jamb cleat to enable control from the forward seat.

The lanyard kicking strap and downhaul are cleated to the base of the mast, above the deck socket.

The leeboard, (just visible on the starboard side) is pivoted just forward of the centre of effort of the sail, so that with the effect of the rudder, the centre of lateral resistence is just forward of the centre of effort, so that she would turn into the wind 'hands off'.