The caravel was created during the 15th century
by the Portuguese. It was a small but maneuverable
ship that made use of lateen sails that gave it speed and windward sailing
capacities. It was developed by the
Portuguese who used it for exploring the West African Coast as well as the
Atlantic Ocean. It was the vessel of
choice for Portuguese travelers like Bartholomew Diaz, Vasco De Gama and
Ferdinand Magellan. It was agile and
easier to navigate. It also had a
shallow keel it had the capacity to sail upriver even on shallow waters.
