When I first learned about caravels, which were those small ships that Portuguese explorers used to travel down the African coast in the 15th century, I had a hard time remembering that name – caravels.
A 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). Caravels were used by the Portuguese for the oceanic exploration voyages during the 15th and 16th centuries in the Age of Discovery.