Eventually, the Egyptians began to make boats from wood. They used acacia wood from Egypt and imported cedar wood from Lebanon. They also began to use a giant sail in the middle of the boat so they could catch the wind when heading upstream. The Egyptians built their wooden boats without nails. Boats were often made from a number of short planks that were hooked together and tied tight with ropes. Steering was accomplished by using a large rudder oar at the back of the ships.

Source: Ducksters