Design No. 17, named Bluenose, was the most famous design ever produced by W. J. Roué. The global success of Bluenose allowed W.J. Roué to turn a passionate hobby into a long and successful career in Naval Architecture.

Roué played an active role in the successes of Bluenose often assisting Captain Walters in sea trials as the vessel made preparations for her competitive races. Roué would not only consult with Walters on the vessel's trim but even assist in placement of ballast.

During the 1938 races for the International Fishermen's Trophy, with the series tied at two races each for Bluenose and for her American rival Gerturde L. Thebaud, Roué was summoned from his home in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia to the Gloucester, Massachusetts site of the series. Fearing defeat with what appeared to be a tired Bluenose, the Province of Nova Scotia even held the departure of the auto ferry that sailed between Yarmouth, Nova Scotia and Maine, awaiting Roué's arrival. 20-hours after leaving his Dartmouth home, Roué boarded Bluenose. Determining she was too low in the water he sent several tons of equipment ashore and Bluenose went on to win race number five and capture the International Fishermen's Trophy.

Bluenose II Bluenose II remains active as a floating ambassador for both Nova Scotia and for Canada. She is operated by the Lunenburg Marine Museum Society. Click here to visit their web site. Click here to visit their web site.

HIGHLIGHTS: Bluenose

1920, Fall: Bluenose Schooner Co. commissions W.J. Roué to design a winning vessel for the second International Fishermen's races. Roué designs Bluenose, Roué Design # 17.

1921, Mar. 26: Launched in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia.

1921, Apr. 15: Sets sail for the Grand Banks.

1921, Oct. Defeats American challenger, Elsie, in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Wins International Fishermen's Trophy.

1922, Oct.: Defeats American challenger, Henry Ford, in Gloucester, Massachusetts. Wins International Fishermen's Trophy.

1923, Oct.: Competes with American challenger, Columbia, in Halifax. Ruled no contest. International Fishermen's Trophy is not awarded.

1929, Jan. 6: Government of Canada issues 50¢ commemorative Bluenose postage stamp.

1930, Oct.: Loses Lipton Cup series to American contender, Gertrude L. Thebaud, in Gloucester.

1931, Oct.: Defeats Gertrude L. Thebaud in Halifax. Wins the International Fishermen's Trophy.

1933: Represents Canada at Chicago World's Fair, Chicago, Illinois.

1934: Spends several months in Toronto, Ontario.

1935: Sails to England for King George V and Queen Mary's Silver Jubilee.

1936: Diesel engines are installed, sails are removed.

1937, Jan. 1: Government of Canada mints the first dime bearing "a two-masted fishing schooner." Although not officially acknowledged, the vessel was widely recognized as Bluenose.

1938, Oct.: Defeats American challenger, Gertrude L. Thebaud, in Gloucester. Wins International Fishermen's Trophy.

1942: Sold to the West Indies Trading Co., and carries cargo in the West Indies.

1946, Jan. 29: Sinks off Haiti.

2000, July20: Royal Canadian Mint issue $20 collectors hologram coin featuring Bluenose.

2001, Mar26: 80th Anniversary of Bluenose acknowledged in Canadian Senate.

2001, Apr2: World premiere of Requiem for a Queen, a 60-minute made for television Bluenose documentary, on History Television cable network

2002, Mar15: Bluenose is officially acknowledged by the Royal Canadian Mint as the vessel that has been on the back of the Canadian 10-cent piece since 1937.

HIGHLIGHTS: Bluenose II

1962: Commissioned by Oland & Son, Limited, Halifax, Nova Scotia.

1963, July 23: Launched in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia.

1967: Serves as Canada's official host ship at Expo ‘67, Montréal, Québec.

1971, Sept. 7: Sold to the Province of Nova Scotia for one dollar.

1972: Town of Lunenburg launches "Save the Bluenose II" campaign to finance a $250,000 refit.

1974: Makes her first voyage as Nova Scotia's Ambassador. Sails to Norfolk, Virginia, then works her way up the eastern seaboard.

1975, Spring: Makes a six week promotional tour of Canada's interior and the United States, through the St. Lawrence River and Great Lakes.

1975, Summer: Receives new berth at Historic Properties, Halifax.

1976: Participates in extensive tour of American seaports, and Operation Sail, New York City, as part of the U.S. bicentennial celebrations.

1978, Spring: Sails first to Bermuda, then up the U.S. eastern seaboard visiting 12 ports.

1984: Serves as Canada's official host ship fpr the gathering of International Sail training ships at Halifax and Sydney, Nova Scotia, and Québec City, Québec.

1985-86: Visits Expo ‘86, Vancouver, British Columbia, on an 18-month voyage.

1988, Apr.: Province of Nova Scotia issues first Bluenose license plate.

1988, Nov.: Canada Post issues a commemorative stamp honouring Captain Angus Walters.

1992: Receives a plaque from Canada Post during Canada's 125th anniversary celebrations.

1992: St. Lawrence Seaway tour includes stops in Toronto, Montréal, and Québec City.

1994, Mar. 17: Province of Nova Scotia announces it will no longer sail Bluenose II.

1994, Aug. 26: Federal government wants a sailing Bluenose II available got G-7 summit to be held in Halifax, June, 1995.

1994, Sept. 28 Bluenose II Preservation Trust established to oversee refit with federal and provincial funding, and private contributions.

1995, Jan. 4: Restoration work begins by Snyder's Shipyard Ltd., in Lunenburg.

1995, Apr.: Bluenose II Preservation Trust chooses Angus Walters grandson, Wayne Walters, as captain of the newly refitted I.

1995, May 8: Relaunched in Lunenburg.

1995, May 28: Recommissioned in Lunenburg.

1995, June: Host Vessel for the Economic Summit meeting of the Leaders of the G-7 countries at Halifax, Nova Scotia

1996: Visited Gloucester, Mass., and hosted a reunion of crewmembers of the original Bluenose and of Gertrude L. Thebaud.

1997: First ship to pass under the Confederation Bridge (links Prince Edward Island to the mainland of Canada) upon its opening on May 31.

1997: Conducted a National Tour, including a visit to Thunder Bay, Ontario, her deepest sail into Canada's heartland.

1998: Visited the waters off Haiti where Bluenose foundered on January 28, 1946, and cast a wreath of remembrance.

1999: Participated in Newfoundland's "Soiree ‘99" in celebration of that province's 50th Anniversary of Confederation, including visits to St. John's, Harbour Breton and Marystown.

2000, July: Participated in "Tall Ships 2000" gathering of world's fleet, including visit to Bermuda, ports along the Eastern Seaboard of USA, New Brunswick and Quebec, and led the Parade of Sail in Halifax Harbour in Canada's largest nautical celebration of the new millennium.

2001: Participated in American Sail Training Association's "Great Lakes Tall Ships Challenge", including visits to Kingston, Port Colborne, Cleveland, Sarnia, Windsor, Detroit and Bay City.

2001: Hosted pilots and spouses of 434 Bluenose Squadron (Combat Support) of Greenwood, Nova Scotia, for a sail off Lunenburg which included a fly pass by jets of this historic squadron, whose aircraft bear an image of the ship on their tail fins.

2005, February 4: Province of Nova Scotia announces Lunenburg Museum Society will assume operations of Bluenose II, effective 2005 April 1.

2005, April 1: Lunenburg Museum Society assumes operating control of Bluenose II.

HIGHLIGHTS: Bluenose III

2006, August 30: Joan E. Roué, great-granddaughter of Bluenose & Bluenose II designer William James Roué, publicly announces a project to build a second replica of the famous schooner.

2007, May 3: Snyder's Shipyard in Dayspring, Lunenburg County, Nova Scotia are announced as the shipbuilders for Bluenose III. The schooner will be built in Dayspring, made possible through a further agreement with the Municipality of the District of Lunenburg to provide supporting infrastructure ensuring easy public access to the construction site.