How long have sailboats been around

Dugout canoes in various forms were developped all over the world wherever large trees grew. Later designs added outriggers to help with stability and eventually sails. Click on images to ZOOM!

This made for a lighter boat, portable even! There is circumstantial evidence that such boats were used as early as 9, BCE - before the Pesse canoe; but the required technology is more advanced and it is probable that wood canoes came first. Coracles use wicker baskets for the frame. European coracles have leather as a skin. In the Middle East and Asia, the waterproofing is achieved with cloth and pitch; for example in the Bible, Moses is sent off in a small basket of bulrushes coated in pitch.

Indian Coracle Irish Curragh In North America, Indians developped the birchbark canoe : a frame of wooden ribs covered with sewn patches of bark. Birchbark was the perfect choice, not only was it lightweight and smooth, but it was also waterproof and resilient. The joints of the canoes were bound together by the root of the white pine and then made waterproof by applying hot pine or spruce resin.

They were developped by the indigenous Aleut and Inuit in subarctic regions of the world. Typically, the kayak is covered and includes a spray skirt to insulate the the rider from the cold and prevent the boat from being swamped by waves. The northern peoples also built Umiaks: larger open seal-skin boats used to move people and possessions to seasonal hunting grounds. This is indicative of a hunting technique still used - until recently - by Inuits in North America.

As shown below, the hunters ambush migrating herds from boats as they swim accross lakes or rivers. The lack of trees in northern Europe at that time, precludes the use of dugout canoes; hence the assumption that reindeer hide boats were used. Europe's First Boats , P.

Fletcher, AAPP, vol. Metal tools allow the transformation of trees into planks making possible the construction of larger ships for war and commerce by the Egyptians, Phoenicians and Greeks. Canada's First People. National Museum of Australia. Primitive Log Raft. In some areas, the primitive log raft evolved into more elaborate versions with a tapered shape and an odd number of curved logs often held together with sharpened hardwood pins.

Tamil Boat, Kattumaram India. Archaeologists believe that the Lapita culture is the ancestor of historic cultures in Polynesia, Micronesia, and some coastal areas of Melanesia. The Lapita were the first to reach Remote Oceania. About 3, years ago Polynesian culture developed in West Polynesia.

Skilled navigators in double-hulled waka gradually discovered remote islands to the east, using their knowledge of the stars and the winds to return home safely. Groups would then set off to start new settlements. Around AD Polynesian settlers navigated their way here.

At about the same time, they reached the smaller northern islands of Norfolk and the Kermadecs. Sailing today is mostly done for recreation or sport.

Sailing can be very challenging due to the changeable and often harsh conditions experienced at sea. Guidance and practice can help you to overcome these challenges and enjoy the freedom and rewards of an activity that humans have done for thousands of years. Fri, Mar 18, at PM. The earliest boats and the Pesse Canoe According to archaeological findings, dugouts were the earliest boats used by travelers as far back as the Neolithic Stone Age—about 8, years ago!

Reed boats and rafts In addition to dugouts, reed boats and rafts were also used as some of the earliest vessels in history. Add A Comment. Some of the important items they are credited with inventing include wheels, chariots, sailboats and cuneiform the earliest form of writing. These are just some of the contributions by the Mesopotamians to the modern world.

All this and more was around four to five thousand years ago. A civilization flourishes based on its trade and commerce, and Mesopotamia was no exception. They wanted to set up trade relationships with nearby cities and countries. These were in the days before road routes were built making transportation of goods by land routes hectic and difficult. Therefore, they had to figure out an alternative mode of transportation for goods and people. This came in the form of water transportation, and thus the first boats were invented.