Why carrier conversion suited the Courageous class

Was rebuilding the Courageous class as aircraft carriers the right decision?

Yes, as the second-best choice after scrapping them; carrier conversion made far better use of the hulls than their original role.

The Courageous-class ships embodied extreme large-light-cruiser compromises that made their original fighting role difficult to defend. Scrapping was the cleanest answer, but carrier conversion was the best alternative once the hulls were retained. Their size and speed could support aviation more usefully than a return to capital-ship combat. Conversion rescued some of the industrial investment without pretending the original concept was sound.