The first boats with the steering wheels

[psi20]

I don't remember correctly from history, but I think I remember my teacher talking about the Olmecs inventing the wheel independently from the other side of the world. But my teacher said the Olmecs never used the wheels for carts or carrying stuff.

 

Then I read something about how some Native Americans came to America from the Pacific islands. If this is true, perhaps they could've used the wheel for steering the boats.

[blike]

Why couldn't they have used the standard rudder system?

[Phi for All]

The Olmecs revered the wheel as a representation of the sun & moon. They made children's toys using the wheel because kids were considered innocent, but they didn't use it to relieve their work burden.

 

From what I remember, the old tiller system of steering wasn't changed until ships started getting bigger and the need for the helmsman to have a good view precluded him being close to the rudder. I think the first linkage steering systems were Chinese and Indian, copied by folks in the Mediterranean by the early 1700s. Eventually having handles on the wheel meant for better grip and a way to keep course by degrees.

 

I think the Pacific Polynesians used boats that weren't big enough to need anything more than a tiller.