Sailboat history

This might be a stretch for this site, but does anyone know of sailing craft used by indigenous peoples of North America before the Spaniards arrived?

 

Northwest Indian sailing canoes

http://curtis-collection.com/tribe data/volume gallery/volume10d.html

http://www.edwardscurtis.com/AKWAKI1.html

http://www.civilization.ca/aborig/nwca/nwcah10e.html

http://www.civilization.ca/aborig/nwca/nwca_t4e.html

I don't think there are any lines drawings or detailed sketches anywhere regarding NW Indian canoes, sailing or otherwise.

Tim Dunn

 

Tim,

Thanks for the references. The statement "Earlier Native sails were probably square-rigged cedar bark mats that were used only in running before the wind" definitely implies that there were sailing craft on the west coast before European contact.

Doug

 

Between Juan de Fuca and possibly Drake, the Wet Coast locals might have seen European sailing craft as early as the 1500's? East Coasters... well, centuries earlier than that? I'd be looking for earlier carvings or paintings, etc which depict sails and could be carbon-dated/whatever before I would say NA sailing pre-dates the Europeans. Or European log books which mention the locals in sailing craft when they arrive? And the Pacific Islanders and Chinese? Betcha they were alongside early on also.
Weren't the Spaniards more like late-comers who just had the best diseases?

Lock
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/QCYCTender/

 

I agree. With the Vikings at the end of the first millenia and the recent discussions of a possible Chinese circumnavigation in the 15th century, there were undoubtedly opportunities for earlier contact. Probably evidence of sails on the Great Lakes before the 16th century or either coast before the 10th century would be pretty definitive.

Doug