(Entry 1 of 2) : being or relating to a rig used especially on the north coast of Africa and characterized by a triangular sail extended by a long spar slung to a low mast. lateen. noun.
What was a caravel, and why was it important?
Why was the caravel an important development in navigation? European shipbuilders built a better ship; The caravel was a strong ship that could travel in the open seas & in shallow water. Caravels had triangular lateen sails that allowed ships to sail against the wind. Cannons & rifles gave ships protection.
What does caravel mean in history?
caravel (pl. caravels) A light, usually lateen-rigged sailing ship used by the Portuguese, as well as Spanish, for about 300 years, beginning in the fifteenth century, first for trade and later for voyages of exploration; Synonyms. carvel; Translations caravel - light lateen-rigged sailing vessel. Basque: karabela Catalan: caravel·la (fem.)
How did the caravel differ from earlier ships?
How did the caravel differ from earlier ships? The caravel was much beter than previous ships due to its ability to sail fast and into the wind . Caravel planking was much thicker, and they were broad-beamed ships with 2 or 3 masts (later, they had as many as 4) with square sails and a triangular sail.
What does the name caravel mean?
noun Car"a*vel. A name given to several kinds of vessels.The caravel of the 16th century was a small vessel with broad bows, high, narrow poop, four masts, and lateen sails. Columbus commanded three caravels on his great voyage.A Portuguese vessel of 100 or 150 tons burden.A small fishing boat used on the French coast.A Turkish man-of-war.
What is a caravel in history?
caravel, a light sailing ship of the 15th, 16th, and 17th centuries in Europe, much-used by the Spanish and Portuguese for long voyages. Apparently developed by the Portuguese for exploring the coast of Africa, the caravel's chief excellence lay in its capacity for sailing to windward.
How would you describe a caravel?
The caravel (Portuguese: caravela, IPA: [kɐɾɐˈvɛlɐ]) is a small highly-maneuverable sailing ship developed in the 15th century by the Portuguese to explore along the West African coast and into the Atlantic Ocean. The lateen sails gave it speed and the capacity for sailing windward (beating).
What does caravel built mean?
Definition of carvel-built : built with the planks meeting flush at the seams a carvel-built ship.
What was the role of the caravel?
The caravel was a vessel of paramount importance in the 15th and 16th centuries, when it was used to traverse the immense barrier to the New World. During these centuries, the caravel was a ship with a distinctive shape and admirable qualities.
What means a caravel?
Definition of caravel : any of several sailing ships specifically : a small 15th and 16th century ship that has broad bows, high narrow poop, and usually three masts with lateen or both square and lateen sails.
Was the Santa Maria a caravel?
The three ship fleet of Columbus consisted of two ships known as caravels (Pinta and Nina) and a larger ship which served as Columbus's flag ship. This was the Santa Maria. The Santa Maria was not a caravel. Its design was of the nao configuration.
What is caravel in a sentence?
How to use caravel in a sentence. In spite of his seamanship, the caravel was wrecked on the island of Cuba. The caravel, with a crew of the strongest, was despatched for succour, and was never heard of again. Leaves set forth, a few at a time, with a little volley of birds—a buoyant caravel.
How did the caravel help European explorers?
Clearly, the Caravel revolutionized European transportation. This technology made it possible for European explorers, fishermen, and merchants to “expand their horizons,” by providing the ability to travel further, faster. One could argue that it played a major role in the rapid colonization of the New World.
What made the caravel useful for exploration?
European shipbuilders built a better ship; The caravel was a strong ship that could travel in the open seas & in shallow water. Caravels had triangular lateen sails that allowed ships to sail against the wind. A moveable rudder made the caravel more maneuverable. Cannons & rifles gave ships protection.
How did caravels help the Columbian Exchange?
Caravels led to the possibility to sail down to the coast of Africa and return to Portugal, which began the colonization of the Atlantic Islands – a precedent for the New World. As an early explorer Columbus used and relied on landmarks while sailing, which led to inaccuracy of location and direction.
What makes caravels unique from other ships?
Caravels had a typical length-to-beam ratio of 3.5:1 with a shallow draught. It was also highly manoeuvrable and fast. All of these characteristics made the caravel ideal for exploring unfamiliar waters and coastal shallows where larger ships might easily have become stranded on sandbanks or damaged by rocks.
Who invented the caravel age of exploration?
Prince Henry the Navigator of Portugal created the Caravel for long distance trade. It boasted two or three masts that had interchangeable sails. Square sails were used for open water while lateen sails were used for shoreline sailing. The also had a rounded bottom, making them faster than other vessels of their time.
What is a caravel?
The caravel ( Portuguese: caravela, IPA: [kɐɾɐˈvɛlɐ]) was a small highly-maneuverable sailing ship developed in the 15th century by the Portuguese to explore along the West African coast and into the Atlantic Ocean. The lateen sails gave it speed and the capacity for sailing windward ( beating ).
When was the Caravel invented?
The caravel was developed in about 1450, based on existing fishing boats under the sponsorship of Henry the Navigator of Portugal, and soon became the preferred vessel for Portuguese explorers like Diogo Cão, Bartolomeu Dias or Gaspar and Miguel Corte-Real, and by Christopher Columbus.
How big was the Caravel?
Due to its lighter weight and thus greater speed, the caravel was a boon to sailors. Early caravels generally carried two or three masts with lateen sails, while later types had four masts. Early caravels such as the caravela tilhada 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 somewhat low capacity. It was in such ships that Christopher Columbus set out on his expedition in 1492; Santa María was a nau of about 100 tons which served as the flagship and the Pinta and Niña were smaller caravels of around 15–20 m with a beam of 6 m and displacing around 60–75 tons.
How many tons did the Caravel sail?
They were agile and easier to navigate than the barca and barinel, with a tonnage of 50 to 160 tons and 1 to 3 masts, with lateen triangular sails allowing beating . Being smaller and having a shallow keel, the caravel could sail upriver in shallow coastal waters.
What is a round caravel?
In this form it was referred to in Portuguese as a "round caravel" ( caravela redonda) as in Iberian tradition, a bulging square sail is said to be round.
Where is the Caravel located?
What is believed to be the most accurate depiction of a lateen caravel, featured in the 16th century Retábulo de Santa Auta, now at the National Museum of Ancient Art, in Lisbon. A replica of the caravel Boa Esperança in the city of Lagos, Portugal.
Where did the caravela originate?
Etymology. Its English name derives from the Portuguese caravela, which in turn may derive from the Arabic qārib, used to refer to an ancient boat type known as carabus in Latin or κάραβος in Greek, perhaps indicating some continuity of its carvel build through the ages.
What was the Caravel used for?
The Caravel was slightly smaller than the Carrack. It was generally used for carrying cargo and fishing. Prince Henry the Navigator of Portugal created the Caravel for long distance trade. It boasted two or three masts that had interchangeable sails.
What ships were designed as Caravels?
Subsequently, they were also favored by pirates. Columbus’ ships, the Nina and the Pinta, were both designed as Caravels. “Olandus Caravellam & Casasaedificare Curat,” Americae Pars Qvarta, 1590, From The Library at The Mariners’ Museum, E141.B9 oversize rare.
How to use "carvel" in a sentence?
How to use carvel in a sentence. It features sampling of a prank call to Carvel, a local ice-cream chain. Yet Macaulay Carvel was not to be despised on account of his high-class mediocrity. Then Macaulay Carvel arrived, and, having found Paul, came with him to see me.
Why was Macaulay Carvel not despised?
Yet Macaulay Carvel was not to be despised on account of his high-class mediocrity.
