Whether you’ve experienced it on a sailing vessel or in a bar, here’s an interesting yacht-related phrase courtesy of the gang at www.YotCru.com.
Three Sheets to the Wind
On a sailing vessel, sheets are the ropes that control the sails. Typically, two sheets control the fore sail, and one the smaller aft sail, though this configuration differs from vessel to vessel. If the sheets are to the wind, it means that they are flapping about in the breeze and the sails are not under control, just as a person said to be “three sheets to the wind” - drunk, that is – steers about wildly!
Source: The Word Origin Calendar
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1 Sailing Crew | Yachts at LuxeSyndicate // May 13, 2008 at 2:01 pm
[…] Here’s an interesting fact%26hellip; Whether you’ve experienced it on a Sailing vessel or in a bar, here’s an interesting yacht-related phrase courtesy of the gang at http://www.YotCru.com. Three Sheets to the Wind On a Sailing vessel, sheets are the ropes that control the sails. Typically, two sheets control the fore sail, and one the smaller aft sail, though this configuration differs from vessel to vessel. If the sheets are to the wind, it means that they are flapping about in the breeze and the sails are not under control, just as […]
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