Caravels (Caravelas): The Niña and the Pinta belong to this category. Caravels were small, highly maneuverable, and fast sailing ships developed by the Portuguese. They featured a shallow draft and lateen (triangular) or square sails, making them perfect for ocean exploration and sailing against the wind. Carrack (Nao): The Santa María belongs to this category. A carrack was a larger, heavier ocean-going shop with high bows and sterns. It was designed to carry heavy cargo rather than to explore uncharted shallow waters