Caravel facts for kids

A caravel (Portuguese: caravela) is a type of small sailing ship. It is easy to maneuver. It was developed in the 15th century by the Portuguese. The Portuguese used caravels to explore the West African coast and the Atlantic Ocean. Lateen sails made the caravels fast and able to sail against the wind. Caravels were used by the Portuguese to explore oceans during the 15th and 16th centuries in the Age of Discovery.

Images for kids

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  Portuguese caravel. This was the standard model used by the Portuguese in their voyages of exploration. The lateen rigged caravel was able to sail close to the wind, closer than square rigged vessels. It could accommodate about 20 sailors.

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  This is a model of a caravel found in Malta

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  A lateen-rigged caravel, Caravela Latina

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  A replica of the caravel Boa Esperança in the city of Lagos, Portugal

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  Various types of Caravels (1892). In fact all central types and some lateral show technically, naos or naus, with caravels examples mostly on the left edge of the illustration

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  A typical round caravel or caravela de armada (of 1500-1505), with origin in the Portuguese model of caravela redonda or square-rigged caravel (Livro das Armadas). There were also some other European and Mediterranean types of ships, also called round caravels, during the turn of the century and in the 16th century

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  Lisbon and the Tagus (1572). Galleon in the center (one type of Portuguese galleon), carracks, galley, round caravels, and caravels (lateen), among other vessels