Discovery of America by Christopher Columbus and also long journey to coast of India by the traveler Vasco da Gama were connected with the romantic sea vessel under the name Caravel. From the word and blows as the far-away and novel countries. But not only the romanticism of the name interests the ordinary person. The caravel had the surprising seaworthy qualities allowing to use the vessel for various purposes.
The caravel is a sailing vessel with two or three masts on which slanting and direct sails are fixed. The word a caravel comes from Portuguese "Cavaro" — the small sailing vessel.
As used a caravel
Till 30th years of the 15th century the caravel served as fishing boats and also was used as the merchant ship. Since 1550 the caravels began to be used by Portuguese for a slave trade and research campaigns. Campaigns were made along the western coast of Africa and the Cape of Good Hope. Caravels seldom were involved in sea battles, but in the history there were also such cases. The Portuguese king Zhuan II equipped small caravels with artillery pieces. In combination with their high maneuverability which did not allow big vessels to board a caravel they could sink vessels of the enemy easily.
Types of caravels
The caravel Latina represents the small vessel with three masts and Latin arms on them. On such vessels the Portuguese seafarers explored the coast of Africa and the Indian Ocean.
Karawella-redonda is a vessel also with three masts, but having already direct sails. These sails are most effective at campaigns in the high sea and for transitions across the ocean where there are at the basic fair winds. They were used when swimming from Europe to coast of America and also in campaigns on the Biskalsky gulf.
Caravel armada. Their main difference is existence of the fourth mast, the so-called foremast having a direct sail. Also such caravel had higher tank and gun ports in which about 40 shackle guns and falcons were located. Displacement at caravels armadas reached 150 t. A caravel armada participated in campaigns throughout the 19th century.
Arms of caravels
Caravels had no heavy weapons and it consisted generally of easy guns. These easy shackle guns were called bombards and were installed on the main deck or on a gunwale. There were also crossbows, halberds and arkebuza.
Light weapons of caravels could not resist to heavy weapons of other types of the ships and therefore they not often were involved in sea battles. Found for caravels active application as to the landing ships. Easy goal-scorers were dismantled from the ship, transported on the coast and there were used for designated purpose. Goal-scorers a case-shot and lead kernels which could be made directly onboard a caravel shot.