Less than one week after the rebuilt Bluenose II was launched in Lunenburg, N.S., it has already sailed into rough legal waters.

Joan Roue, the great-granddaughter of the Bluenose designer, William J. Roue, said the province has not given her family sufficient recognition for using the plans.

The original Bluenose was famous for winning every race in 18 years of competition after its launch in 1921.

The Bluenose II was built in 1963 and transferred to the province in 1971 for just $1, saving it from being scrapped. The Nova Scotia government invested nearly $17 million to rebuild the ship.

Roue said her family owns the rights to the design and she plans to file a lawsuit.

"We certainly need acknowledgement that the new hull was based on his design. We hope that it was, I mean that's certainly I think the hope of all Canadians that it would be based on an authentic reproduction of what Bluenose should be," she said.

Roue said the province has purposely ignored her family's claim on the plans, and she will file the lawsuit papers Friday.

She said she's not seeking a specific amount of money, but she won't rule out receiving monetary compensation if the judge rules in her favour.

The original Bluenose schooner is featured on the Canadian dime.