Caravel 15th century Not likely to be a pirate ship, but the European overseas empires would not have existed without this ship, and therefore no Caribbean pirates. The caravel was a small, highly maneuverable ship developed in the 15th century by the Portuguese to explore along the West African coast and into the Atlantic Ocean. The lateen sails gave it speed and the capacity for sailing windward (beating). Caravels were used by the Portuguese and Castilians (Spain) for the ocean