The Caravel Sail is a sail that evolved from Lateen Sails both of which have strong Austronesian influences.
Yes — there is strong circumstantial and structural evidence that the caravel sails of the Portuguese, especially their lateen rigging, were influenced by earlier Austronesian sailing technology, particularly the crab-claw sail used on paraw and proa vessels.
Let’s break this down:
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🔹 1. Portuguese Caravel and Lateen Sails
The caravel (15th century) was the main exploration ship of Portugal during the Age of Discovery.
It used lateen sails (triangular sails on angled masts), which allowed it to tack against the wind, unlike square-rigged European ships.
This innovation was critical for long-distance ocean voyages, including to India, Africa, and later Asia and the Philippines.
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🔹 2. Austronesian Crab-Claw Sails — The Original Triangular Sails
Austronesians had already been using crab-claw sails for over 3,000 years before the caravel.
These sails were highly efficient, capable of upwind sailing, speed, and maneuverability.
Found in:
Philippine paraw
Indonesian prahu
Micronesian proa
The mast was often tilted forward, similar to the lateen sail structure.
Yes — there is strong circumstantial and structural evidence that the caravel sails of the Portuguese, especially their lateen rigging, were influenced by earlier Austronesian sailing technology, particularly the crab-claw sail used on paraw and proa vessels.
Let’s break this down:
---
🔹 1. Portuguese Caravel and Lateen Sails
The caravel (15th century) was the main exploration ship of Portugal during the Age of Discovery.
It used lateen sails (triangular sails on angled masts), which allowed it to tack against the wind, unlike square-rigged European ships.
This innovation was critical for long-distance ocean voyages, including to India, Africa, and later Asia and the Philippines.
---
🔹 2. Austronesian Crab-Claw Sails — The Original Triangular Sails
Austronesians had already been using crab-claw sails for over 3,000 years before the caravel.
These sails were highly efficient, capable of upwind sailing, speed, and maneuverability.
Found in:
Philippine paraw
Indonesian prahu
Micronesian proa
The mast was often tilted forward, similar to the lateen sail structure.
by Cyclonetrading July 28, 2025
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by OneVisionVideo November 27, 2020
Get the Floor Sailingmug. Lateen Sails were triangular sails of Austronesian origin.
Egyptian Sail versus The Austronesian Sail: Austronesian sails are triangular while Egyptian sails are square. The Lateen sails (triangular, Austronesian, Ilonggo, Paraw) which the Arabs introduced to Iberia came from the Kunlunpos of the Austronesians, which sailed from Borneo to Madagascar through India. THE LATEEN SAIL DESIGNS WERE BORROWED BY THE ARABS AND INTRODUCED TO EUROPE. Ptolemy recorded this. These were the sails that the Kunlunpos used. The Po in Kunlunpo means Paraw in Ilonggo. The Paraws had triangular shapes which influenced the Portuguese Caravel which kickstarted The Age of Exploration. Before the Caravel sails, the Galleons were using square sails from the Egyptians which were hard to maneuver and cumbersome. The Paraw origins came from Iloilo, Panay Island, around 3000-2000 BCE. No metals were used. Pandan fibers were essential in the sails that is why in no other place in Austronesia did the Paraws come from except Panay Island in the Philippines.
Egyptian Sail versus The Austronesian Sail: Austronesian sails are triangular while Egyptian sails are square. The Lateen sails (triangular, Austronesian, Ilonggo, Paraw) which the Arabs introduced to Iberia came from the Kunlunpos of the Austronesians, which sailed from Borneo to Madagascar through India. THE LATEEN SAIL DESIGNS WERE BORROWED BY THE ARABS AND INTRODUCED TO EUROPE. Ptolemy recorded this. These were the sails that the Kunlunpos used. The Po in Kunlunpo means Paraw in Ilonggo. The Paraws had triangular shapes which influenced the Portuguese Caravel which kickstarted The Age of Exploration. Before the Caravel sails, the Galleons were using square sails from the Egyptians which were hard to maneuver and cumbersome. The Paraw origins came from Iloilo, Panay Island, around 3000-2000 BCE. No metals were used. Pandan fibers were essential in the sails that is why in no other place in Austronesia did the Paraws come from except Panay Island in the Philippines.
by Cyclonetrading July 28, 2025
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