Ships of the Discoveries

Small ship used in the early Portuguese voyages of exploration. It was probably this type of ship that was used by the Portuguese navigator Gil Eanes when he first rounded Cape Bojador, in 1434.

Due to scarce information, this type of ship is not easy to characterize. Some sources indicate that it was a lateen rigged support vessel. Texts also suggest that caravelão would generally be smaller than a caravel.

Small fishing boat, used in the early voyages of exploration. In ancient chronicles, she was also referred to as a "fishing caravel".

The result of the evolution of the 2 masts caravel, developed in the late 15th century.

The round caravel or the "Armada caravels" were support ships, ussually armed. They featured three or four masts, and rigged round cloth sails at the foremast and lateen in the rest. The round cloth enabled them to have a performance similar to the other ships of the fleet when they sailed on continuous route, taking advantage of the prevailing winds, while the lateens allowed them to maintain the characteristics of the latin caravels, with the possibility to navigate closed hauled and therefore with more maneuverability.

This carrack was one of the four warships in which Vasco da Gama, leading as Captain-General, began the first voyage to India, routing by the Cape of Good Hope, in 1497.

Galleon An early 16th century ship, the Portuguese galleon is a sailing ship specially designed for warfare. Intended for the protection of the merchant Indiamen and for military actions to impose or maintain Portuguese sovereignty, in the Atlantic and the Indian Ocean.

The Taforeia is a ship designed to transport horses, mentioned in several 15th documents describing warfare in North Africa. In the 16th century, these ships, similar size and shape to the carracks, were also used as warships in the Indian Ocean.

In the Maritime Museum, the representation of the ships are not limited to models. This oil on canvas, imitating a tapestry depicts a sixteenth century Portuguese ship.