William James Roué

William James Roué (April 27, 1879 – January 14, 1970) was a naval architect famous for his design of the fishing schooner Bluenose, which sailed to victory in the Halifax Herald International Fisherman's competition in 1921, 1922, 1923, 1931 and 1938, and held the record for the largest catch of fish ever brought into Lunenburg, Nova Scotia.

Roué created more than 100 designs for commercial vessels, including many yachts such as the schooner Blue Dolphin; two fleets of freighters for Newfoundland and the Arctic and ferries.

[1] In 1943, during the Second World War, William Roué invented a sectional barge capable of being loaded disassembled on the deck of a ship and then reassembled to land troops and supplies.

A 1998 domestic postage stamp was issued in commemoration of William J. Roué that shows his portrait and the famous Bluenose schooner he designed.

[3] The Maritime Museum of the Atlantic in Halifax has an exhibit on Roué with his original design instruments and drawing board as well as a Roué-designed sloop Vagabond and schooner Hebridee II.