Looking at the plotted journey....IE Portugal, ivory coast, west to FG.... Isn't this a route normally/regularly done by sail? Before modern era, surely was do

Looking at the plotted journey....IE Portugal, ivory coast, west to FG.... Isn't this a route normally/regularly done by sail? Before modern era, surely was done this way in antiquity.. I guess I just don't get it. Does the "paddleboard" represent something more than sail?