Caravel

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The caravel (Portuguese: caravela, IPA: [kɐɾɐˈvɛlɐ]) is a small maneuverable sailing ship used in the 15th century by the Portuguese to explore along the West African coast and into the Atlantic Ocean and by Columbus on his expeditions of exploration of the Americas. They used both lateen and square sails and were known for their agility and speed and their capacity for sailing windward (beating) with their lateen sails. Caravels were used by the Portuguese and Spanish for the voyages of exploration during the 15th and 16th centuries, in the Age of Discovery.