The First Sailing Boats Were Built In Egypt
About 3400 BC, the first sailing ships were in use on the River Nile in Egypt. The hulls of the earliest ships were made of papyrus reeds bundled together. Later, wood from acacia or sycamore trees was used, although only short lengths could be cut from these timbers. They had a single mast with a square sail, which was used in addition to oars when the wind was blowing in a favourable direction. The crew steered with long oars hanging over the stern.
From 2900 BC, Egyptian merchants began to import cedar, a wood from which much longer planks could be sawn. Later Egyptian vessels were built with keels and a ribbed frame, copying the designs of merchant ships from Minoan Crete. Warships of this construction sailed under the command of Pharaoh Ramesses III in about 1400 BC.
Source: Q-Files
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