Rudders are used to steer boats, planes, ships, hovercrafts, and submarines by cutting through fluid and forcing it through the body. Ancient Egyptians and Chinese used oars as rudders, while Romans developed the sexille rudder. Modern rudders can be installed outside or inside, and aircraft rudders are called control surfaces. Without rudders, controlling planes and ships would be almost impossible.
A rudder is a mechanism used to steer a boat, plane, ship, hovercraft, or submarine. Rudders work by cutting through any kind of fluid, water or air, and forcing the fluid through the body of a ship or plane. A modern rudder looks like a flat piece of material that is attached to the tail or stern of a ship. However, the rudders did not always look like flat panels.
Archaeologists have found evidence that the ancient Egyptians used special oars as rudders to steer canoes. Up to five different oars were used at a time to steer a boat in the desired direction. The Chinese Zhou dynasty also used several oars to safely move ships inland. Many people in China still use oars as rudders, as they are more practical than the modern rudder when it comes to pulling ships ashore and navigating rough water.
The ancient Romans developed the sexille rudder which was capable of steering massive ships across the Mediterranean. Once the Romans perfected the sexille, Roman ships became some of the largest and most reliable in the world. Mounted rudders were later developed during the European medieval period. These rudders were attached to ships via a clamp, a type of pin, and a gudgeon, a circular piece that allows an oar or rudder to turn, attached. The placement of mounted rudders allowed medieval ships to navigate particularly treacherous waters with relative ease.
Modern ship rudders can be installed both outside and inside. External rudders are attached to the stern or transom of a ship, while internal rudders are usually attached to a skeg, a ship’s extension or keel. Due to the placement of an internal rudder, these rudders are completely submerged underwater.
Aircraft rudders are generally called control surfaces. An aircraft elevator, a control surface located at the rear of an aircraft, and ailerons, control surfaces that are attached to the edge of a wing, help control the aircraft. All of these things combined make up the control surface of an airplane. Due to the immense pressure an aircraft often faces, it is not unusual for an aircraft rudder to break or become damaged. When this occurs, trained pilots must manually maneuver an aircraft, which is often difficult to do.
From boats to planes, rudders are an important part of any plane or ship. Although the original rudders were nothing more than oars attached to the side of a ship, today’s rudders are complex and intricate. Without the invention of the rudder, controlling a plane or a ship would be almost impossible.
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