Latina (1350)
| Material | Propulsion | Country | Year Launched |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wood | Wind, Sail | Portugal | 1350 |
| Length (feet) | Displacement (tons) |
|---|---|
| 70 | 60 |
Caravel. Portuguese adaption developed to permit greater sailing angles in returning from West African coast; three masts, each with single lateen sails adapted from Mediterranean, possibly Arab vessels, which allowed greater sailing area when wind abeam due to sail positioning so that wind passing on both sides of sail, creating vacuum on front side and a resultant "pull" of the vessel forward. Caravels built frame-first.
Sources
Robert A. McCaugheyCompiler
Peter Richards