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From: gadfly@ihu1m.UUCP (Gadfly)
Newsgroups: net.nlang
Subject: Re: 3 sheets to the wind
Message-ID: <406@ihu1m.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 1-May-85 10:32:05 EDT
Article-I.D.: ihu1m.406
Posted: Wed May  1 10:32:05 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 2-May-85 01:55:45 EDT
References: <388@ihu1m.UUCP> <134@bocklin.UUCP> <625@lsuc.UUCP> <452@crystal.UUCP>
Distribution: net
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories
Lines: 20

--
> The expression I heard of a similar nature was "Three sheets to the
> wind."  Can any sailing/ocean-going enthusiast explain this?

A sheet is a line (on a sailing vessel all pieces of string are called
"lines", never "ropes") that controls a sail, usually by being attached
to it.  A square-rigger will have two sheets per sail--connected to the
two lower corners.  When sailing properly, one sheet will be to wind-
ward, the other to leeward (except when on a dead run downwind).
If both sheets were to windward, the sail would be backwinding, and
the boat would be out of control.  I assume the extra sheet in
"three sheets to the wind" was added to exaggerate the notion of being
totally out of control, in the sense of dead drunk. 
-- 
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