The fi fteenth century saw a new design of ship: the caravel. It was large and sturdy enough to make long voyages and able to sail in all winds. The caravel’s features combined the best of the Atlantic and Mediterranean ships.
coloured flags mainmast brightly
foremast
lateen or triangular sail
mainsail
castle
captain’s cabin
rudder
A caravel
anchor
brightly painted hull
• Triangular lateen sails allowed ships to sail into the wind and made them easier to manoeuvre in bays and along coasts.
• Carvel-built hulls, with planks fi tted edge to edge (rather than overlapping planks, like Viking longships had) were far lighter, so ships could be made bigger, could have more masts and could carry more men and supplies.
• Rudders made the caravel easier to steer.
• A castle at the back of the deck provided improved crew quarters and served as a lookout point and a defensible area in case of attack.
Soon caravels were improved upon: naos were bigger versions, better suited to Atlantic crossings.
Technology of Exploration
• Portolan charts • Quadrant • Astrolabe • Compass • Log and line • Line and lead weight • Caravels • Lateen sails • Carvel-built hulls • Rudders
