 Due to its lighter weight and thus greater speed, the caravel was a boon to sailors.Early caravels generally carried two or three masts with lateen sails, while later types had four masts.Early caravels such as the "caravela tilhada" of the 15th century had an average length of between , an average capacity of 50 to 60 tons, a high length-to-beam ratio of around 3.5 to 1, and narrow ellipsoidal frame (unlike the circular frame of the "nau"), making them very fast and maneuverable but with somewhat low capacity.