The first Marine propulsion systems in the world were sails and oars. The simplest version of the oar was used for the first time in human history in Egyptian boats during the 4th millennium BCE, while ancient Egyptian sails are first depicted around 3200 BCE. Around the same time, Sumerian sailing boats have been discovered to traverse lengthy sea trading routes. Let’s not forget that even the discovery of America happened on magnificent sailboats, able to cross oceans in swift speeds. The first mechanical marine propulsion system was the steam engine, introduced in the early 19th century. Since then, boats have come a long way.
