Editing History of Portugal (1415–1578) (section)

==== Ships ====
[[Image:Caravel Boa Esperanca Portugal.jpg|thumb|A modern replica of a Portuguese [[caravel]]]]

Until the 15th century, the Portuguese were limited to coastal [[cabotage]] navigation using [[barque]]s and ''barinels'' (ancient cargo vessels used in the [[Mediterranean]]). These boats were small and fragile, with only one mast with a fixed quadrangular [[sails|sail]] and did not have the capabilities to overcome the navigational difficulties associated with Southward oceanic exploration, as the strong [[wind]]s, [[shoal]]s and strong [[ocean current]]s easily overwhelmed their abilities. They are associated with the earliest discoveries, such as the [[Madeira]] Islands, the [[Azores]], the [[Canary Islands|Canaries]], and to the early exploration of the north west African coast as far south as [[Arguim]] in the current [[Mauritania]].

The ship that truly launched the first phase of the Portuguese discoveries along the African coast was the [[caravel]], a development based on existing fishing boats. They were agile and easier to navigate, with a tonnage of 50 to 160 tons and 1 to 3 masts, with lateen triangular sails allowing [[luffing]]. The caravel benefited from a greater capacity to [[tack (sailing)|tack]]. The limited capacity for cargo and crew were their main drawbacks, but did not hinder its success. Limited crew and cargo space was acceptable, initially, because as exploratory ships, their "cargo" was what was in the explorer's feedback of a new territory, which only took up the space of one person.<ref>[[Roger C. Smith (author)|Roger Smith]], "Vanguard of the Empire", Oxford University Press, 1993, p.30</ref> Among the famous caravels are ''Berrio'' and ''Caravela Annunciation''.

With the start of long oceanic [[sailing]] also large ships developed. "Nau" was the Portuguese archaic synonym for any large ship, primarily [[merchant ship]]s. Due to the [[piracy]] that plagued the coasts, they began to be used in the [[navy]] and were provided with cannon windows, which led to the classification of "naus" according to the power of its artillery. They were also adapted to the increasing maritime trade: from 200 tons capacity in the 15th century to 500, they become impressive in the 16th century, having usually two [[deck (ship)|deck]]s, [[stern]] castles fore and aft, two to four masts with overlapping sails. In India travels in the sixteenth century there were also used [[carrack]]s, large merchant ships with a high edge and three masts with square sails, that reached 2000 tons.