PORTUGUESE CARAVEL
Posted: Mon Jun 01, 2009 8:56 pm
The caravel, of Portuguese origin, was a two or three-masted, shallow draught vessel, swifter and more graceful than the carrack, with two distinct sail rigs. The ‘caravela latina’ (as seen on the stamp) was lateen- rigged on all masts; the ‘caravela redonda’ was fully square-rigged or both square and lateen-rigged.
Used largely for coastal work, caravels played an important part in maritime history, for Henry the Navigator, of Portugal, used them at the beginning of the 15th century to open up the trade routes to India.
SANTA CLARA (called NIÑA after her captain Juan Niño), which accompanied the SANTA MARIA to America, was about 60 tons, seventy feet overall, with a twenty-four foot beam and a draught of six feet.
She started the voyage as a ‘caravela’ latina’, but Columbus found this rig unsuitable for the existing winds and converted her to a ‘caravela redonda’ in the Canary Islands. This was done by stepping the raking mainmast well forward in a vertical position and strengthening it by means of a forestay to a bowsprit. The long lateen yards were cut down to square-rigged yards and the suit of lateen sails recut to fit them.
The stamp depict the vessel sailing with her keel and rudder just reaching the water, a designer mistake.
Grenada 2001 75c sg?, scott?
Gambia 1980 75b sg443, scott415
Portugal 1983 25 es. sg1918, scott? (Portuguese caravel on Flemish tapestry 16th century.)
St Thomas & Prince 1979 50c sg?, scott534, and Dh5 as a two mast caravel, sg?, scott537.
Dominica 1991 $4 sg1412, scott 1303.
Copied from Sailing Ships and Sailing Craft by George Goldsmith-Carter.
Used largely for coastal work, caravels played an important part in maritime history, for Henry the Navigator, of Portugal, used them at the beginning of the 15th century to open up the trade routes to India.
SANTA CLARA (called NIÑA after her captain Juan Niño), which accompanied the SANTA MARIA to America, was about 60 tons, seventy feet overall, with a twenty-four foot beam and a draught of six feet.
She started the voyage as a ‘caravela’ latina’, but Columbus found this rig unsuitable for the existing winds and converted her to a ‘caravela redonda’ in the Canary Islands. This was done by stepping the raking mainmast well forward in a vertical position and strengthening it by means of a forestay to a bowsprit. The long lateen yards were cut down to square-rigged yards and the suit of lateen sails recut to fit them.
The stamp depict the vessel sailing with her keel and rudder just reaching the water, a designer mistake.
Grenada 2001 75c sg?, scott?
Gambia 1980 75b sg443, scott415
Portugal 1983 25 es. sg1918, scott? (Portuguese caravel on Flemish tapestry 16th century.)
St Thomas & Prince 1979 50c sg?, scott534, and Dh5 as a two mast caravel, sg?, scott537.
Dominica 1991 $4 sg1412, scott 1303.
Copied from Sailing Ships and Sailing Craft by George Goldsmith-Carter.