Background
Roué was born in the South End of Halifax, Nova Scotia.
- Photos
- Works
- Photos
- Works
William Roue
Edit ProfileCareer
As an adolescent, Roué made and sailed 1.5-metre model boats. He learned to crew at the Royal Nova Scotia Yacht Squadron (RNSYS). He was a self-taught naval architect.
He read volumes on boat design in the library of the Yacht Squadron.
He enrolled in classes in mechanical drafting at the Victoria College of Art and Design, now the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design. 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. Roué died in 1970 at the age of 90.
Achievements
-
In 1921, Roué was rewarded with a gold watch and commemorative scroll because Canada won the International Fisherman"s Race. A 1998 domestic postage stamp was issued in commemoration of William J. Roué that shows his portrait and the famous Bluenose schooner he designed. The stamp was designed by Louis Hébert of Montreal. The Maritime Museum of the Atlantic in Halifax has an exhibit on Roué with his original design instruments and drawing board as a well as a Roue designed sloop Vagabond and schooner Hebridee World War II The W.J. Roué reading room was created in the Lunenburg Nova Scotia library in 2002. As well as the 1998 Roué stamp, the Bluenose has been featured on three stamps: a 1929 50-cent issue, a 1982 60-cent stamp that commemorated the International Philatelic Youth Exhibition, and a 1988 37-cent issue that celebrated Bluenose skipper Angus Walters.
Membership
His experience was that of a yacht designer for fellow members of the Squadron while he worked in the family soft-drink business.
