She is the ship on the Canadian dime — a racing schooner so dominant that she became a national symbol. The Bluenose was built to work the cold, hard fishing grounds of the North Atlantic, yet she outraced every rival sent against her for nearly two decades. Her story is one of speed, pride and a legend that still sails today in the form of her successor, the Bluenose II.
Born to Race: The International Fishermen's Trophy
The Bluenose was launched in 1921 at Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, built as a working fishing schooner but designed with racing in her bones. The International Fishermen's Trophy pitted the fastest working schooners of Canada and the United States against one another, and Nova Scotia wanted a champion. In her very first season, the Bluenose seized the trophy — and refused to give it up.
Seventeen Years Undefeated
For the next seventeen years, the Bluenose beat every challenger the American fleet could build. Under the legendary Captain Angus Walters she became all but unbeatable, a source of enormous pride for Nova Scotia and all of Canada. No racing schooner of her era came close to her record, and none has matched it since.
A National Icon: The Dime and Beyond
The Bluenose became more than a ship. In 1937 her image was struck onto the Canadian ten-cent coin, where it remains to this day — a rare honour for any vessel. She lives on in stamps, in provincial pride, and in the imagination of every sailor who has heard her story. When people picture the age of the great fishing schooners, they picture the Bluenose.
Bluenose II: Carrying the Legacy Forward
The original Bluenose was lost in 1946, wrecked on a reef in the Caribbean. But the legend was too important to let go. In 1963 a faithful replica, the Bluenose II, was built from the original plans in the same Lunenburg shipyard, and she sails on today as a sailing ambassador for Nova Scotia — keeping the story, and the silhouette, alive.
Bringing the Legend to Your Shelf
A handcrafted Bluenose II model captures everything that made her iconic — the long, low racing hull, the towering fore-and-aft rig, the clean lines of a schooner built to fly. Built by hand from solid hardwood, fully rigged and fully assembled, she is an heirloom-quality centerpiece for any study, shelf or office.
Whether it is a tribute to Canadian heritage, a nod to a love of sailing, or simply a beautiful object with a great story, the Bluenose belongs on display. Explore our handcrafted Bluenose II models.