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The Ships of Christopher Columbus Were Sleek, Fast—and Cramped

By: Dave Roos

Updated: July 28, 2023 | Original: October 9, 2019

On August 3, 1492, Christopher Columbus and his crew set sail from the port of Palos in southern Spain on three vessels: la Santa Clara (Niña), la Pinta and la Santa Gallega (Santa Maria). Two of the ships, the Niña and Pinta, were tiny by today’s standards—only 50 to 70 feet from bow to stern—but prized for their speed and maneuverability. The Santa Maria, Columbus’s flagship, was a larger, heavier cargo ship.

For 35 days, Columbus and his crew of 86 Spanish sailors sailed westward searching for a passage to China and India. With the men close to mutiny against their “foreign” captain, Columbus was about to turn back when the cry went out at 2 a.m. on October 12 that land had been sighted .

Columbus hadn’t found a western route to India, of course, but his success in crossing the Atlantic was due in large part to the ships he chose for the perilous voyage, particularly the diminutive Niña and Pinta, which were a speedy type of ship called a caravel.

When the royal decree went out in 1492 from Queen Isabella of Spain to fund Columbus’s first voyage, it read , “By these presents, we dispatch the noble man Christoforus Colón with three equipped caravels over the Ocean Seas toward the regions of India for certain reasons and purposes.”

Caravels Were Cutting Edge in the 15th Century

Though only two of Columbus’s ships ended up being caravels, Isabella’s decree speaks to the popularity of the vessel during the 15th-century “ Age of Discovery .” Starting with Portuguese explorations of the African coast in the mid-1400s, caravels were prized for their sleek, lightweight hull and their uncanny ability to sail into the wind.

Luis Filipe Viera de Castro, a nautical archeologist at Texas A&M University, says that the earlier Portuguese caravels, known as the caravela latina , were rigged with lateen (triangular) sails that hung at 45-degree angle to the deck.

“Lateen sails are […] almost like wings,” says Castro. “You can point the bow of the caravel with an angle of just 20 degrees off the wind and still get enough lift on the outer edge of the sail to propel forward.”

The lateen-rigged caravels were critical in the Portuguese voyages to sub-Saharan African, where strong coastal winds blow north to south. The versatile caravel could speed south along the coast and easily return to shore against the wind.

For Columbus’s maiden journey, he used a Spanish update to the caravel known as the caravela redonda , a three-masted ship where the first two masts were rigged with conventional square sails for open-ocean speed, and a third was rigged with a lateen sail for coastal maneuverability. That rigging combination made ships like the Niña and the Pinta some of the best sailing vessels of their time.

In addition to their versatile rigging options, 15th-century caravels moved the rudder to the rear center of the ship. In the 14th-century caravels popular in the Mediterranean, the rudder was still on the side, says Castro, like Viking ships. The new position allowed for far greater control.

Small Ships Offered Advantages—But Also Discomforts

Small caravels like the Niña and Pinta could only carry between 40 and 50 tons and were crewed by fewer than 30 sailors each. Their lightweight design and rounded bottom meant that they rode high in the water. This proved critical when Columbus needed to navigate the shallow island coastlines near modern-day Cuba.

The bulkier Santa Maria, which was a 110-ton cargo ship called a nau , ran aground on Christmas Day 1492 and had to be abandoned.

Yet the main advantage of the Spanish caravel, namely its compact size, was also its greatest disadvantage. Life aboard a short ship like the Niña or Pinta would have been absurdly crowded and uncomfortable.

Unlike the Santa Maria, which at least had tiny cabins where sailors could sleep between eight-hour shifts, the Niña and Pinta had a single small deck at the rear of the ship with only one cramped cabin reserved for the captain.

“If you’re a sailor on a caravel, you’re living on the deck and sleeping on the deck,” says Marc Nucup, public historian at The Mariners’ Museum in Newport News, Virginia. “You’re trying to stay out of the way of the sailors who are working. There’s almost no private space.”

Work was relentless on any 15th-century ship. The 20 sailors on the Niña and the 26 crewing the Pinta would have been constantly engaged with adjusting the rigging, trimming the sails, inspecting for leaks and plugging them with spongy scraps of old rope called oakum.

“Cathedrals, castles and ships—those were the most complicated things that humans had built up until that time,” says Nucup. “There was always something to do.”

The round-the-clock workload meant that even if you were off-duty, good luck trying to sleep on the deck while the other sailors stomped around you. Hammocks weren’t yet in use on ships in the 15th century, says Nucup.

Food Aboard Ships Was Dry and Often Filled With Maggots

And then there was the food. Columbus stocked a full year’s worth of food for the journey, not knowing how long it would be before they could return to Spain. For food to last at sea, it needed to be dry. Staples included dried and salted anchovies and cod, pickled or salted beef and pork, dried grains like chickpeas, lentils and beans, and, of course, hardtack biscuits.

The word biscuit comes from the Latin bis coctus for “twice-baked.” The hardtack biscuits “enjoyed” by Columbus’s crew would have been prepared by baking a hockey puck of flour and water multiple times, then crushing it into tiny pieces, reconstituting it with water and baking it again. Hardtack biscuits were so rock solid that they could only be eaten if softened with water or dipped in the communal slurry served every meal in a large wooden trough.

Yet tooth-breaking, dry biscuits were still preferable to those that had been spoiled by exposure to water in their storage barrel. Ferdinand Columbus, the explorer’s 14-year-old son, reported on the conditions on Columbus’s fourth voyage to the Americas.

"What with the heat and dampness, our ship biscuit had become so wormy that, God help me, I saw many who waited for darkness to eat porridge made of it, that they might not see the maggots,” wrote young Ferdinand, “and others were so used to eating them that they didn't even trouble to pick them out because they might lose their supper had they been so fastidious."

The Voyages of Christopher Columbus: Timeline

• 1451 Columbus is born
• 1492–1493 Columbus sails to the Americas
• 1493–1496 Columbus returns to Hispaniola
• 1498–1500 Columbus seeks a strait to India
• 1502–1504 Columbus's last voyage
• 1506 Columbus dies

Christopher Columbus is born in the Republic of Genoa. He begins sailing in his teens and survives a shipwreck off the coast of Portugal in 1476. In 1484, he seeks aid from Portugal’s King John II for a voyage to cross the Atlantic Ocean and reach Asia from the east, but the king declines to fund it.

After securing funding from Spain’s King Ferdinand II and Queen Isabella, Columbus makes his first voyage to the Americas with three ships—the Niña , the Pinta and the Santa Maria . In October 1492, his expedition makes landfall in the modern-day country of The Bahamas. Columbus establishes a settlement on the island of Hispaniola (present-day Haiti and the Dominican Republic).

In November 1943, Columbus returns to the settlement on Hispaniola to find the Europeans he left there dead. During this second voyage, which lasts over two years, Columbus’ expedition establishes an “encomienda” system. Under this system, Spanish subjects seize land and force Native people to work on it. More

In the summer of 1498, Columbus—still believing he’s reached Asia from the east—sets out on this third voyage with the goal of finding a strait from present-day Cuba to India. He makes his first landfall in South America and plants a Spanish flag in present-day Venezuela. After failing to find the strait, he returns to Hispaniola, where Spanish authorities arrest him for the brutal way he runs the colony there. In 1500, Columbus returns to Spain in chains. More

The Spanish government strips Columbus of his titles but still frees him and finances one last voyage , although it forbids him return to Hispaniola. Still in search of a strait to India, Columbus makes it as far as modern-day Panama, which straddles the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. In his return journey, his ships become beached in present-day Jamaica and he and his crew live as castaways for a year before rescue. More

On May 20, 1506, Columbus dies in Valladolid, Spain at age 54, still asserting that he reached the eastern part of Asia by sailing across the Atlantic. Despite the fact that the Spanish government pays him a tenth of the gold he looted in the Americas, Columbus spends the last part of his life petitioning the crown for more recognition.

HISTORY Vault: Columbus the Lost Voyage

Ten years after his 1492 voyage, Columbus, awaiting the gallows on criminal charges in a Caribbean prison, plotted a treacherous final voyage to restore his reputation.

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The surprising role of tiny caravels in global exploration

Whenever studying the history of European exploration, references to ships called ‘caravels’ appear frequently. Many people are therefore surprised to learn that one of the most important ships that explorers relied upon was incredibly small and unassuming.

Even though they were modest workhorses of the sea, during the 15th and 16th centuries, these vessels were central to mariners’ ventures into uncharted waters, linking distant worlds through trade and conquest. 

The unique design of caravels

Caravels distinguished themselves from other ship types of their era primarily through their innovative design features that enhanced maneuverability and speed.

Unlike the heavier carracks and galleons, which were typically used for carrying large cargoes and armed troops, caravels were lighter and faster, making them ideal for exploration and quick voyages. 

Developed primarily by the Portuguese for the open seas, they were intentionally designed to be nimble, were typically ranged between 50 to 200 tons, whereas galleons and carracks could exceed 500 tons.

This difference in size allowed caravels to access shallower waters and navigate more safely near coastlines, critical for charting new territories. 

Among the key differences was the rigging system. Caravels used a combination of square and lateen sails, which allowed them to harness winds more effectively for oceanic voyages.

By contrast, the larger galleons predominantly relied on square sails, suited for bearing heavy loads but less efficient against headwinds.

This rigging versatility in caravels significantly reduced the limitations posed by wind directions, enhancing their capability to explore against prevailing winds.

With these design advantages, caravels could undertake voyages with reduced crew sizes, typically 20 to 30 men, compared to the crews of up to 200 required for the larger ships. 

From a construction perspective, caravels utilized a lighter, more flexible frame system.

This method, known as the ‘carvel construction’, involved laying the planks of the hull edge to edge, a technique that differed markedly from the clinker construction used in earlier Norse ships where planks overlapped.

Consequently, caravels required less maintenance due to their smaller size and simpler construction, which translated into lower operational costs.

This economical aspect made caravels particularly attractive for exploratory missions that were funded with uncertain prospects of immediate financial return. 

Caravels in the Age of Discovery

Caravels first proved their worth in the pivotal voyages of the Age of Discovery. Integral to their functionality was the caravel's ability to carry considerable cargo despite its modest size.

This feature was critical for long voyages where provisions and trade goods needed to be stored.

Additionally, the rounded stern and forecastle improved the ship's stability. In 1492, Christopher Columbus embarked on his historic journey across the Atlantic in the Santa Maria , a nao or carrack, flanked by two smaller caravels, the Niña and the Pinta .

The nimble caravels proved ideal for traversing the vast and unpredictable Atlantic.

Their ability to sail windward significantly outperformed older ship designs. 

By the late 15th century, caravels were at the forefront of European maritime exploration, heavily used by the Portuguese during their expeditions along the African coast.

Vasco da Gama 's voyage to India in 1497 was a key example of how far caravels could travel: beyond the coastal waters of Europe to the challenging environments of the Indian Ocean.

On these journeys, their capacity to handle various wind patterns and sea conditions was unmatched. 

As a result, the caravel became a symbol of exploration and conquest during this transformative period in history.

Their robust construction and versatile capabilities made them indispensable in the quest for new routes and territories. 

Why caravels became so crucial to global trade

The impact of caravels on global exploration can be quantified by examining the expansion of trade routes and the increase in maps and navigational charts that followed their widespread use.

By the early 16th century, European maps began to include details of coastlines and island chains previously unknown to Europeans, with data collected from voyages undertaken on these ships.

In a matter of decades, caravels helped increase the known world's size by an estimated 50%.

Moreover, the speed and agility of the caravel allowed for the faster relay of information and goods, reducing the time taken for round-trip voyages by up to 25% compared to older ship types. 

Moreover, caravels enabled navigators to undertake multi-year voyages across previously unnavigable waters.

This led to the discovery of lucrative trade routes to Asia and the Americas. As a result of these expeditions, European nations gained access to exotic new products, which significantly impacted their economies and societies.

The widespread adoption of caravels was instrumental in establishing Europe's maritime dominance and ushered in a new age of prosperity and cross-continental influence. 

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The Caravels

The Diccionario de la Real Academia de la Lengua Española defines the caravel as a vessel 'very swift, long and narrow, with only one deck, a beak at the prow and a flat poop, with three masts for lateen sails and some with yards for square sails on the main and foremasts'.

According to the Encyclopedia of Ships and Seafaring edited by Peter Kemp (Stanford Maritime Press), caravels became the preferred ships of explorers of the late fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, mainly because they were small, roomy, easy to handle and drew so little water that they could approach unknown shores with little danger of running aground.

The caravel was first employed by the Portuguese around 1440 on voyages of discovery to the western African coasts, but the oldest caravels were those used by Portuguese fishermen from the middle of the thirteenth century. The name 'caravel' had been given to certain vessels which appeared in that century in documents such as the Foral of Vilanova de Gaia (1255), and notes in Os descovrimentos Portugueses defined them as ships with high sides, lateen rigged and fitted with one, two, three or even four masts. Their capacity was about 100 tons. In the fifteenth century they reached 150, and up to 180 tons.

Lopez de Mendoza provided documentary evidence of the history and development of the caravel up to the beginning of the sixteenth century. The characteristic vessel which emerges from his work is a swift ship of less than 200 tons, with one, two, three or even four masts, exclusively lateen rigged. Nevertheless, extant contemporary documents reveal many differences in vessels falling within the definition of the type. Quirino da Fonseca, for example, records no fewer than twenty-four different types of bow, all taken from nautical charts, manuscript illustrations and other documents, in his A Caravela Portuguesa.

Certain characteristic features can, however, be identified. Caravels all had a continuous main deck and no forecastle, but rather a small covered space at the prow known as the tilla. The hull was relatively narrow, the transom square, and the rudder hung on the sternpost, with the tiller entering the space under the quarterdeck through an opening known as the limera. The gunwales were not always bulwarks; sometimes they consisted simply of stanchions with a handrail. Some of the larger caravels had a cabin or chupeta at the quarterdeck, with a poop deck or toldilla above. The Guillén reconstruction of the Santa Maria represents a typical armed caravel, known as a carabela de armada, distinguished by a top on the mainmast.

The simplicity of these ships as fishing vessels is evident from drawings of single-masted caravels which accompany the signatures of Spanish fishermen in documents kept in the Archivo de Indias in Seville.

The lateen rig was dominant for caravels in the Mediterranean. It is recorded that King Joao II of Portugal promoted the belief that strong currents and contrary winds impeded the return of square sailed ships from the west coast of Africa, and that only lateen rigged caravels, then an exclusive Portuguese type, would be able to trade with the newly explored lands. His confidence in a secure Portuguese monopoly was soon shaken, however. Caravels operating beyond the Mediterranean were increasingly modified to carry a square sail on the foremast and the mainmast, with a spritsail and a lateen mizzen, or a mixed rig adapted to the prevailing winds.

It may be that the square rig for caravels originated in Spain, where square-rigged versions of the vessel appeared in the second quarter of the fifteenth century, and where they survived until the beginning of the sixteenth. As in the case of the Niña and Pinta, lateen-rigged caravels were frequently converted to square rig, even by the Portuguese, as the advantages of square sails became apparent.

The general arrangement of Portuguese and Spanish lateen-rigged caravels, as well as those with square sails and a lateen mizzen, is shown in illustrations on the chart of Juan de la Cosa (circa 1500). Vessels illustrated include three Portuguese caravels of two and three masts off the Cape of Good Hope, several lateen-rigged versions off the coasts of Ethiopia and Arabia, and two Spanish caravels (one with a top), both lateen rigged.

Further fine illustrations of lateen-rigged caravels appear in the chart of Pedro Reynel (dating from 1516) now in the Bibliotheque National in Paris.

Early Portuguese records mentioning caravels frequently also refer to other ship types, including barcas, barineis, ureas and fustas; none of these

Table 4 THE CARAVEL NIÑA, SQUARE RIGGED

Hull maximum length Keel length Breadth Depth

Light displacement Load displacement Mainmast height upon deck Foremast height upon forecastle Mizzen mast height upon quarterdeck Mainsail area Foresail area Mizzen sail area

48.6 tons 100.3 tons

115.7sq m 40.6sq m 22.5sq m

70ft 2'/2in 51ft

52ft 6in 32ft 1 in

26ft 8V?in 1245.8sq ft 437.2sq ft 243sq ft

6ft 6in types survives in the chronicles of the voyages of discovery. Only the caravel, clearly an exceptional vessel, ensured its place in history as a recognisable ship type.

The Niña was owned by Juan Niño of Moguer (in Huelva, southern Spain), who took part in the first voyage as her master, under the captain Vicente Yáñez Pinzón of Palos. Her original name was Sa?ita Clara> and the name Niña ('Little Girl') was an allusion to her owner's surname. She was built in Moguer, on the banks of the Rio Tinto, where Spanish shipwrights competed in skill with the Portuguese of the nearby Algarve.

Columbus himself had a great fondness for the Niña, and sailed some 25,000 miles in her. He eventually became her half-owner, and captained the ship himself on the second voyage.

The last record of the Niña relates to a voyage she made to the so-called Coast of Pearls (modern Venezuela) in 1501. This coast had been explored by Juan de la Cosa (the Santa Maria's owner and master on Columbus's first voyage) and Alonso de Hojeda in 1499. The ship's part in this enterprise has been investigated by Alice Gould, to whom is due the credit for the most reliable study of Columbus's crews.

The Pinta belonged to Christóbal Quintero of Palos, who also accompanied his ship on Columbus's first voyage. Her captain was Martin Alonso Pinzón of Palos, and her master his cousin Francisco Martin Pinzón.

In his reconstruction of the caravels which accompanied Columbus, Martinez-Hidalgo was careful to take into account the lines and characteristics of related ship types which are more fully documented. The lines of the xebecs on display in the Museu Maritim at Barcelona were particularly informative, given that the xebec and the caravel are closely related vessels. Notable features in common are the relation between length and breadth, the run of the planking at the bow and the stern and the extraordinary ability of both types to sail close to the wind. Similarly, the main frame and stern of the baghala and the sambuk, both of which are similar to the later caravels, were taken into consideration. It was also necessary to take note of the illustrations of two-masted lateen caravels on the chart of Juan de la Cosa, which show a square tuck at the stern with diagonal planking.

Martinez-Hidalgo used the method described in the Livro Náutico, a unique Portuguese source for the study of caravels from somewhat later than Columbus's time, for calculating the dimensions of the reconstructions from the tonnage of the original Niña and Pinta. Miguel de Cuneo, who returned from Cuba in 1494, recorded the tonnage of the Niña as about 60 tons; other data in the Recolta Colombina suggest that she embarked some 51 tons of cargo and supplies. The hold capacity of the somewhat

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Readers' Questions

How many decks on a caravel?

A caravel typically had one to three decks, with the main deck being the largest and often the only one open to the elements.

Did carvels use ballast?

Carvel construction refers to a method of boat building in which the planks of the hull are laid edge to edge and fastened together to create a smooth surface. Ballast is a heavy material (usually stones or lead) placed in the hull of a boat to improve stability and balance. In traditional carvel construction, ballast is not typically used as the weight of the hull itself provides the necessary stability.

How tall were the sides of a mideavel caravel?

A typical medieval caravel had sides, also known as a hull, that were approximately 3 to 4 meters (10 to 13 feet) in height from the waterline to the deck. However, the exact height could vary depending on the specific design and purpose of the caravel.

What did they put in carabels back then?

Carabels is not a specific product or brand, so it is difficult to provide a specific answer. However, if you are referring to the general type of products or ingredients used in food or beverages back then (not limited to Carabels), it could include ingredients such as sugar, flour, eggs, butter, milk, chocolate, fruits, and various flavorings and spices commonly used in baking and cooking.

Did carabels have sternpost rudders?

Yes, Caravels did have sternpost rudders. Caravels were a type of sailing ship that was popular during the 15th and 16th centuries. They were known for their distinctive design, which included a high stern and a smaller forecastle. These ships were equipped with a single mast and lateen sails, and their steering was controlled by a sternpost rudder at the back of the ship. The sternpost rudder allowed for better maneuverability and control of the ship compared to earlier designs.

How to set sails on a caravelle type ship?

Hoist the mainsail: Hoist the mainsail first. Have the crew stand on the main deck and raise the main halyard, which is the rope used to hoist the sail. This should be done slowly and carefully so that the sail does not get damaged. Attach the jibs: Next, attach the jibs and the staysail. These are the smaller sails that are placed in front of the mainsail. The jibs and the staysail should be attached to the mast using the appropriate halyards. Trim the sails: Have the crew trim the sails to ensure their optimal performance. This means that they should adjust the sail direction and angle so that it catches the wind efficiently. Be sure to check the rigging and lines to make sure that they are secure and not chafing. Rigging: Finally, secure the rigging. This is a crucial step as it ensures the safety of the crew. Make sure all the running rigging, such as the sheets and halyards, are correctly attached.

How caravels were constructed in the fiftinghundres?

Caravels in the fifteenth century were constructed out of a wooden frame, covered with planks of wood and fastened with iron nails, iron straps, and iron dowels. The planks of wood were protected from the weather and sea spray by layers of tar and pitch. The caravels had two masts – a large mainmast and a smaller foremast. Both masts had square sails. The caravels also had an aftcastle where the helmsman and captain stood, and often had a small cabin in the aftcastle. The hull was propelled by oars, either giving the boat extra speed when entering a port or when in light wind conditions. Caravels were built slightly more narrow than other sailing ships of the time and had a deep draft so that they could sail in shallow waters. To be able to turn quickly and easily, caravels had a protruding bowsprit.

How to make a real caravel boat?

Gather the materials necessary for building a caravel boat. Generally, you'll need a large piece of wood, such as pine or cedar, as well as wood screws, nails, and other hardware. Cut out two strips of wood that are roughly the same size and shape. These will be the sides of your caravel boat. Attach the two strips of wood together using wood screws and other hardware. Cut out a middle plank of wood that will serve as your boat’s deck. Nail this plank to the sides of your boat. Cut out a piece of wood that will serve as the keel of your caravel boat. This should run the length of your boat and be the main support structure. Nail this to the sides of your boat. Cut out a large piece of canvas or sailcloth and attach it to your boat’s mast with rope. Attach your boat’s rudder, which is a movable part that controls the direction of the boat. Place your boat in the water and test her out!

How much water does a caravel draw?

A caravel typically draws between 4 and 6 feet (1.2 and 1.8 meters) of water when fully laden.

What makes the caravel unique from other ships?

The Caravel is unique from other ships because it is characterized by its small size and its ability to be sailed closer to the wind than many other large ships, which made it an ideal vessel for long-distance exploration. Additionally, the caravel is unique because it was the first ship to bring the full rigging, which allowed it to sail in all directions, and its round shape created more stability and allowed it to handle rougher seas than other ships. Lastly, the caravel was highly maneuverable, making it ideally suited for coastal navigation and exploration.

What were the caravel ship planks made out of?

Caravel ship planks were typically made of oak.

What features made the caravel an excelent ship?

The caravel was considered an excellent ship for several reasons: Versatility: The caravel was a highly versatile ship that could be used for various purposes, such as exploration, trading, and warfare. Its design allowed it to sail both close to the shore and in open seas. Maneuverability: The caravel was a small and highly maneuverable ship. Its triangular sails, known as lateen sails, made it easier to navigate against the wind, allowing sailors to sail closer to the wind than other contemporary ships. This enhanced maneuverability made the caravel ideal for coastal exploration and navigation through narrow channels. Speed: The caravel was faster compared to other ship types of the time. Its design, lightweight construction, and efficient sail configuration allowed it to attain higher speeds, making it an excellent choice for long-distance voyages and exploration. Ocean-worthiness: The caravel was designed to withstand harsh weather conditions at sea. Its sturdy and robust construction, combined with a shallow draft, provided stability and seaworthiness. This made it possible for sailors to venture into the open ocean and endure long journeys with greater safety. Accessibility to shallow waters: The caravel's shallow draft facilitated navigation in shallow waters, allowing it to explore coastal areas, rivers, and estuaries that were inaccessible to larger ships. This feature made the caravel highly suitable for exploration and trade in regions with shallow coastlines. Capacity: Although relatively small, the caravel had a larger cargo capacity compared to the earlier ships of the time. It could carry more provisions, supplies, and trade goods, enabling longer voyages and more profitable trade expeditions. Innovation: The caravel incorporated several innovative features that enhanced its performance and capabilities. These included the adoption of multiple masts and sails, improved rigging systems, and the addition of a stern-mounted rudder. These innovations played a significant role in making the caravel an excellent ship for its time. Overall, the caravel's versatility, maneuverability, speed, ocean-worthiness, shallow draft, cargo capacity, and innovative design all contributed to its excellence as a ship, enabling navigators during the Age of Discovery to undertake long and successful maritime expeditions.

What features made the Caravel an excellent sailing ship?

The Caravel was an excellent sailing ship due to its combination of features such as its shallow draft which allowed the ship to navigate rivers and inlets, its broad beam which provided greater stability and made it less prone to capsizing and its large hull which allowed it to carry more cargo while still remaining fast and maneuverable. The Caravel also featured a combination of lateen and square sails which allowed it to sail efficiently in a variety of winds, and its shallow keel gave it greater maneuverability and speed.

What was the caravel ship made of?

The caravel ship was primarily made of hardwoods such as larch, pine, and oak. Some additional components used in its construction included tar, pitch, flax, hemp, canvas, and iron.

What were caravels made of?

Caravels were made of timber and canvas sails. They often had a single deck and three to five masts. They were light and maneuverable, allowing them to travel long distances quickly.

What defines the caravel ship class?

The caravel ship class was defined by a small, maneuverable wooden sailing vessel from the 15th to 17th century. It was used by the Portuguese and Spanish for trade, exploration and warfare. The caravel had a high rounded stern and large square rigged sails, allowing them to sail on any point of the compass. They were able to sail closer to the wind than other sailing ships of the time and were highly valued for their agility and maneuverability.

How thick is the deck of a caravel?

The deck of a caravel typically ranges between 10 and 20 cm thick.

What was the deck of caravel ships made of?

The deck of a caravel ship was typically made of oak planks fastened to wooden frames and secured with iron nails and rope.

How were caravels constructed?

Caravels were constructed with a light wooden frame over which a strong and flexible structure was built. This structure was composed mostly of planking and timber frames fastened together by pins, nails, and rope lashings. The hull of the caravel was usually carvel-built, meaning the planking was fitted edge-to-edge, curving up and around the frame to create a smooth, curved, and seaworthy shape. The mainmast and foremast of the caravel, which held the sails, were usually single masts. They were triangular in shape and attached directly to the ship's frame. The simplest caravels had two masts, but some more advanced models had three. The sails of the caravel were large and square, and were traditionally rigged with four or more square sails.

• Join the Caravel Chapter, NSDAR!

Caravel Chapter, National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR or DAR)

  Celebrating over 50 years of Service!

We were organized January 30th, 1965.  Caravel Daughters come from all walks of life and bond in the love for historic preservation, education, patriotism, and genealogy! We meet in Saint Petersburg, Florida on the second Saturday of the month from September to May. From time to time we participate in joint meetings with surrounding NSDAR chapters and local NSSAR Chapters to celebrate such activities such as (but not limited to) “Constitution Week” and “Presidents Day.”

Any woman 18 years or older who can prove direct bloodline descent from an ancestor…

Meetings are held on the second Saturday of the Month, September – May.

Each member of the NSDAR has a proven Patriot. To see a list of our chapters Patriots, click:

Scholarships.

Caravel Chapter, NSDAR, presents a scholarship to a college-age students annually.

Historic Preservation

Preservation comes in many forms. Caravel Chapter, NSDAR, has participated in cemetery cleanups, digitizing documentation, and transcribing books and documents.

Our chapter promotes education in a number of ways. As a chapter of NSDAR, we support the DAR schools. As a member of the Florida State Society Daughters of the American Revolution (FSSDAR) we support Junior Membership and the Helen Pouch Memorial Fund, which annually awards two classroom grants per state. As a chapter, we support local schools, award “DAR Youth Citizenship” medals to deserving seniors, sponsor essay contests, participate in collecting Coke Rewards for the benefit of DAR Schools, and offer the Frances Failing Scholarship.

We show our patriotism with support of our veterans and active-duty personnel through activities such as collecting and cutting coupons that are sent to personnel overseas, and by participating in Wreaths Across America, to honor the fallen heroes of our country. Additionally, we demonstrate our patriotism by volunteering at the VAMC Bay Pines and attending President Day, Memorial Day, Constitution Week activities, and Veterans Day service.

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Our Society

To learn more about our society please visit our national and state pages.

National Society Daughters of the American Revolution

Florida State Society Daughters of the American Revolution

Last Updated: 29 March 2023 The content contained herein does not necessarily represent the position of the NSDAR. Hyperlinks to other sites are not the responsibility of the NSDAR, the state organizations, or individual DAR chapters.

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How Aquazurra Designer Edgardo Osorio Does St. Petersburg, Russia

The shoe designer heads north for a cultural excursion (and some vodka and caviar).

This article originally appears in the July 2016 issue of ELLE.

Since launching Aquazzura in 2011, Edgardo Osorio has received recognition for pieces that walk the line between footwear and works of art. In his downtime, the 30-year-old native of Colombia seeks design inspiration from foreign locales. Most recently, he set his sights on Saint Petersburg: "It's one of those incredible cities that really leave an impression on you," Osorio says. Before packing his bags, he dove into books about the city's history by Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer Robert K. Massie. "Read about Catherine the Great, Peter the Great, and Russian culture before you go so that you get to experience it personally," he says. Indeed, when Osorio returned to his Florence home base, he created a fall 2016 collection that included a riff on the cowboy boot with embroidery that's a nod to the city's opulent architecture.

The Four Seasons Lion Palace. Offering views of Aleksandrovsky Garden and a stone's throw from the Hermitage—one of the world's great art museums—the hotel, a former royal palace, is the definition of luxe digs, with rooms starting at $410 per night. The lobby's interior has been restored to its original 1820s grandeur, and the four-level Luceo Spa offers ultra indulgent treatments that include gold-extract body scrubs. "Ask for a room with a terrace overlooking Saint Isaac's Cathedral," Osorio says. 

While the designer reports that caviar and vodka was his go-to dinner combination ( when in Rome... ), lunch was all about a meal at Mansarda. Designed by Piuarch studio, the architectural firm behind Dolce & Gabbana's Milan offices, the ultra sleek restaurant features a delicious selection of Italian and sushi dishes. 

Adding "museum hopping" to the itinerary was a no-brainer for Osorio. At the gigantic Hermitage—it occupies more than 2 million square feet— he concentrated on the ornate Russian interior decoration of the nineteenth to early twentieth centuries. (The museum also boasts one of the world's largest collections of Western European art.) Also on the agenda: a visit to the Fabergé Museum and a well-worth-it, 30-minute drive south of central Saint Petersburg to the Catherine Palace, the former home of Empress Elizabeth that's known for its Amber Room, decked out in amber panels, gold leaf, and mirrors. After the palace, the designer made his way to Saint Isaac's Cathedral, one of the largest churches in the city."If you visit the cathedral after spending the day at the palace," Osorio advises, "you can watch the sun set while walking up the stairs." 

After dinner one night, it was off to the River Neva, where, at 2 a.m., Osorio met up with longtime friends who live in the city for a riverboat tour. The group got to take in the White Nights of Saint Petersburg, a phenomenon that occurs from late May to early July, when the sun never fully sets due to the city's latitude. "It was like Paris meets Venice," he says. Several riverboat companies offer such cruises—you can book tours in advance for as little as $10. 

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