The Elizabethan era saw major changes in naval technology which made boats faster, more manoeuvrable and easier to navigate:

Lateens (triangular sails) made ships faster and easier to sail when the wind direction was unfavourable.
Rudders made boats easier to steer.
Astrolabes made it easier to calculate latitude, resulting in more accurate navigation.
More powerful cannons meant that warships could be used to fight, not just transport soldiers.

New Naval Tactics

GCSE Elizabethan England 1568-1603 AQA