Caravel
Called “caravela” in Portuguese, the caravel is one of the most amazing ships in naval history. It was used by the Portuguese from the 15th through the 18th centuries! However, it did go through many modifications along the way, some of them significant.
The early caravels were around 20×6 meters and had a displacement (mass) of 50 tons. Their design was based on earlier Middle Eastern ships. They used two or three masts with lateen sails which allowed them to sail against the wind. Caravels had the advantage of being small and agile, often used for advanced transport and exploration before sending in larger cargo ships like the carrack and galleon.
This versatile ship helped make Portugal one of the world’s great naval powers in the fifteenth century.
Later versions combined three lateen-sail masts with a foremast of two “round sails” (actually square sails which billowed out roundly in the wind). The dimensions increased to around 30 meters long and a displacement of 150 tons. This new design became known as the “caravela redonda” (round caravel). The square sails increased speed, while the augmented size allowed the addition of cannons, so the ships could be used for combat as well as transport and exploration.
In “The Fortuitous Meeting of Gerard van Oost and Oludara”, Gerard speaks of his trip from Europe to Brazil in a Caravel.
(Images: Wikipedia)
elenar
03-03-2010
at 4:11 pm
Just an old sailor with some friendly info. A sailing vessel (or any vessel designed to sail the seas) doesn’t weigh 50 tons, it only weighs its anchor. When speaking about the ‘tons’ of a vessel, it refers to the amount of water it displaces, as in ‘a Caravela displaces as little as 50 tons and up to 150 tons.’
Truly enjoyed your story and look forward to more as well as a novel or two or three or more. Very well written.
Christopher Kastensmidt
03-03-2010
at 4:50 pm
Elenar,
Glad you liked the story, and thanks for your comments!
And I agree, displacement is a better naval term than weight.