The origins of sailboats can be traced back to the early civilizations that emerged around 3000 BCE. These so
cities, often situated along riverbanks or coastlines, needed a way to cross the deep scary waters. Egypt made great use of the river Nile. In order to carry the blocks of limestone, for the pyramids (weighing around two tonnes), as quickly and effetely as possible, ships were needed. The great advantage of sailing boats (or any vehicle on water really) is they can carry extremely heavy cargo and travel large areas. Not only that, it saves on the energy needed to carry the cargo. A boat can employ a few sailors instead of a large number of carts, horses, drivers etc.
The Egyptians constructed small boats with rudimentary sails made from woven reeds or papyrus. Thats right! Papyrus. Their boats were basically made out of their equivalent of paper.
The Phoenicians are known less for rivers and more for crossing the vast waters of the sea. Phoenician sailboats, often referred to as "galleys," had sails made from woven fabrics. This meant that instead of rowing great distances (though rowing was still done), Mother Nature pushed the sailors to their destination instead. The Phoenicians managed to profit greatly from their use of sailing boats as they could facilitate extensive trade, making them very wealthy indeed. In fact, the word Phoenician comes from (possibly) the Greek word for phoinix or "purple," perhaps "the Phoenician colour," because the Greeks got their purples dyes from the famous seafaring Phoenicians.
The Early Modern Period saw a race across the sea. European powers embarked on great voyages around the world. The first circumnavigation around the world in 1522 was thanks, in part, to the power of sails and wind. The use of both square and triangular sails allowed for great efficiency on the waves. Multiple sails became increasingly important for maintaining good speeds on long voyages. From jibs to spinnakers, sailors made sure to make the most out of the wind they had.
Perhaps sails reach their zenith in the mid to late 19th century. A new type of ship, clippers, was used to ferry between China and Britain (plus its colonies) at great speed. As the demand for dried flavoursome plant remains was so high, there was a race to build a ship that could traverse the seas quickly after the tea harvest and sell it to the market. The most famous clipper is the Cutty Sark, although it was actually beaten in an across-the-world race by the Thermoplyie; another clipper.
In the late 19th century, steam replaced sail. This was because steamships were more consistent with their speed, they did not rely on wind, and they could go in any direction; sailboats had to follow or go across the winds to maintain good speeds. In the 20th century, engines became much faster than sailboats ever could be.
Now in the 21st century, while sailing may just seem to be a leisure activity for those who can afford it, growing concerns about the environment may see sails make a comeback! Sails are not well known for their C02 emissions, obviously, and could therefore help in the fight against climate change.
While planes exist and cars are around, why bother with sailing? Once again, simply, they carry lots of stuff easily with little expense in energy or cost. What is not to love?
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