Land locked hero

Just wondering why there isn’t some slight advantage to those hero’s that are land locked with no access to the sea or rivers.  You can skip the research for the sailing until you get into the Medieval Age.  Then in order to get manufacturing you need astronomy which follows the navigation and sailing track.   Shouldn’t those who have no access to water have to do all the sailing research.  You would think those players could skip that instead have faster research to balloons?  Just a question. Or am I missing something.  If player eventually gains access to water then they can go back and do that research for sailing vessels.  I

The awareness also follows the sailing track, which every hero needs, regardless of being land locked or not. So while many things in that track are worthless to someone landlocked, other things are very valuable.

It is not uncommon for us to research things that we won't be using; such as camels, if you are not in the desert, However it is still a part of the research tree for every climate and player.

While I understand your blight, I also see that being land locked is just one of the scenarios, to where we must do research that may be useless to us.

Thank you for helping me understand, but at times it is frustrating.  But all part of the game.