RE:RE:RE:RE:RE:RE:If you're happy and you know it say five bucks...Yes, the caravels were very seaworthy, and they were designed by Portugese shipbuilders around 1450. However, it was still extremely dangerous to attempt to cross the vast North Atlantic Ocean in 1497! As good as the caravels were, there were still a lot of shipwrecks! But the Matthew made it safely to North America and then back to Bristol! I am not taking away anything from the Vikings, but the Voyage of Discovery of the Matthew in 1497 was a tremendous accomplishment !!!