I am contemplating a kit build this coming winter.

As I intend to carry the Passagemaker on the foredeck of a larger boat, it is important that the pieces nest -- the smaller bow piece within the stern piece -- so that the nested height is kept to a minimum.  This is common among competing designs, notably, Port Townsend Watercraft's PT-11, Danny Greene's Chameleon, and Evan Gatehouse' FB-11.  It is ordinarily achieved by changing the rear bench seatbox into a pair of trapezoidal buoyancy compartments.  Optionally, a removable piece can be fit between or atop the buoyancy compartments for seating.  There is some loss of buoyancy which designers have dealt with or ignored depending on the goals of the design.

I am planning to build my Passagemaker with the sailing rig so there is no regulatory requirement for buoyancy.

While I have not made careful measurements, it appears to me that this can be accomplished by:

1. Cutting out part of the upper center of the aft bulkhead so that it forms a frame and the fronts of the buoyancy compartments.
2. Making two fore-and-aft frames that will support the transom all the way to the top, as well as serving as sides for the buoyancy compartments.  These would have to be cut from new plywood.  The frames will also make the transom knee brace(s) unnecessary.
3. Reworking/rethinking the transom doubler and outboard motor pad to work with the braces.  A piece of spruce may work better than ply due to the directionality of the load.
4. Recutting the rear seat top, either as two pieces or (if there is enough clearance), as a single piece forming two buoyancy compartment tops joined by a frame.

Has anyone done anything similar?

There was a post from a few years ago indicating that CLC may do something similar at some point.  Any news on that front?