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It's hard to believe that a stern mounted oar-rudder would be a viable steering mechanism to make a 5,700 nautical mile trip from Rome to Rio de Janeiro especia
by SCAQTony 7y ago
It's hard to believe that a stern mounted oar-rudder would be a viable steering mechanism to make a 5,700 nautical mile trip from Rome to Rio de Janeiro especially since the "New World" is 1,000 miles closer. Europe had to wait until the Renaissance to get its rudder technology more robust.
The Brazillian law was probably a forward-thinking act to protect antiquities from leaving the country in the event there were underwater artifacts.
- tim333 7y agohttps://www2.rgzm.de/Navis/Ships/Ship118/Image/118F3005.jpg https://www2.rgzm.de/Navis/Ships/Ship118/Image/118F3005.jpg Photo of a reconstructed Roman rudder. Doesn't look so bad?
- SCAQTony 7y agoThank you for the photo; this is the best one I have seen. I suspect the ropes could not secure each of those rudders in place for a transatlantic crossing even in moderate seas.