Caravels

Design

The earliest caravels in the thirteenth century were small and are believed to have been un-decked, carrying one mast with lateen sails, while later types were larger and had two or three masts and decks. Caravels such as the caravela tilhlda of the 15th century had an average length of between 12 and 18 m (39 and 59 ft), an average capacity of 50 to 60 tons, a high length-to-beam ratio of around 3.5 to 1, and narrow ellipsoidal frame (unlike the circular frame of the nau), making them very fast and maneuverable but with a limited cargo capacity. It was in such ships that Christopher Columbus set out on his expedition in 1492, while the Santa María was a small carrack of about 150 tons and served as the flagship, the Pinta and Niña were caravels of around 15–20 m with a beam of 6 m and a displacement of around 60–75 tons. The Niña was re-rigged by Columbus with square rig to give better performance on the Atlantic crossing – most of which was following favourable winds, for which lateen was less suitable.