Did the Maya Aztecs and Inca all have powerful seafaring traditions?

Answer 1

There is now plenty of evidence for Inca and pre-Inca peoples using balsa and reed rafts and boats with sails, some of which were used as trade vessels into Panama and even Western Mexico (as borne out by metallurgical imports). Sacred (pink) shells and metal were the main cargoes. Indeed, Pizarro encountered these. Apparently outlying islands (e.g. the Galapagos) were visited, and debate continues as to whether sailing technology was introduced via Polynesians or evolved independently. The Chimu and Moche seem to have used large reed vessels to transport goods between their river valleys, but it is not certain they used sails.

The question with Mayan/ Aztec seafaring is more complex, as to date there is no firm evidence for sails though some very large ocean-going dugout canoes traded and travelled around the Gulf of Mexico - especially of the Chontal Mayans - and the Caribs seem to have had outrigger canoes. If sails were ever used in these areas, we must assume they were a very late introduction (probably from the Incas).