Acts 27:40

And casting off the anchors, they left them in the sea, at the same time loosing the bands of the rudders; and hoisting up the foresail to the wind, they made for the beach.

Loosing the bands of the rudders ... The English Revised Version (1885) properly translated the term "rudders" here, contrasting with "the rudder" bands as in KJV. This was a statement once branded as one of Luke's mistakes, as it was alleged that "every fool knows a ship has only one rudder"; but here, as in all similar instances, Luke's absolute accuracy has been proved. Mention has already been made of the ancient ship raised from the depths of the Mediterranean off the coast of Cyprus, by means of funds provided by Oberlin College, and which is dated about 300 B.C. It is of a vintage like ships still plying the seas in Luke's day. See under Acts 27:17.

See the picture in the National Geographic Magazine, Nov., 1974, page 622. It depicts a ship with dual steering oars to keep the ship on course. Though more efficient than a single rudder, the exposed oars were more vulnerable to damage.

Root said:

The rudder bands had secured the rudder, so it would not be beaten about by the waves during the night. Now they were loosed so the rudder could be used in steering.[22]

All such comments should be revised in the light of the above depicted certainty that ancient vessels had more than one rudder, proving again the remarkable accuracy of the sacred author Luke.