André Cornu

André Cornu, born in Nantes on 9 April 1912 and died there on 29 August 2003, trained as an engineer and raced dinghies, notably the Caneton and the 505.

He designed the 470 dinghy in 1962, which drew attention at the 1963 Paris boat show and became an Olympic class in 1976. He also designed the Vent d'Ouest, a small keelboat for sheltered waters.

First cousin of naval architect Eugène Cornu, with whom he is often confused, he was the father of skipper Jean-Claude Cornu. He was made a Knight of the National Order of Merit (1986) and of the Legion of Honour (1998).

Correction20 Oct 2026
- bio— French naval architect (1912-2003), designer of the 470 dinghy and the Vent d'Ouest keelboat.
- gender— male
- Biography— André Cornu, born in Nantes on 9 April 1912 and died there on 29 August 2003, trained as an engineer and raced dinghies, notably the Caneton and the 505. He designed the 470 dinghy in 1962, which drew attention at the 1963 Paris boat show and became an Olympic class in 1976. He also designed the Vent d'Ouest, a small keelboat for sheltered waters. First cousin of naval architect Eugène Cornu, with whom he is often confused, he was the father of skipper Jean-Claude Cornu. He was made a Knight of the National Order of Merit (1986) and of the Legion of Honour (1998).
- birth_date— 9 April 1912
- death_date— 29 August 2003
- nationality— FR
- nationalities[] ["FR"]
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External identifier20 Oct 2026
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External identifier20 Oct 2026
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Page created20 Oct 2026
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André Cornu

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Biography