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The term “Three sheets to the wind” originated with the windmill and not the sailing world. A windmill typically has four arms or frames in which a sheet of canvas or sail could be attached by the miller to harness the wind. When the wind was light a sheet of canvas was attached to each of the four frames. If the wind was heavy only one canvas was used. If the wind was moderate two opposing sheets of canvas were used to keep the torque in balance. The millers never used just three sheets of canvas. They discovered that using three sheets would cause the building to gyrate uncontrollable and topple over, like a drunken sailor.(This unsigned post was added 14:16, 26 May 2006 192.223.243.6 (Talk) )
The last bit of the three sheets section looks like a first-grader wrote it. Let's try again? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 198.166.3.200 (talk) 06:02, 22 April 2011 (UTC)
Since when did a yachtsman worry much about "large amounts of line and loose blocks" forward? I think it's more likely the tackle for the jib disappeared from the foredeck because jibs got bigger than the foretriangle. The jib sheets had to be led aft of the mast because the jib clew was aft the mast! Besides the gear didn't disappear, so much as move aft, mutate and double. And one last point. I sail on a ketch with a boom rigged fore stay sail, inside the genoa. It's about even for stubbing my toes on the primary winches in the cockpit and the staysail sheet blocks on the foredeck.--J Clear 01:52, 17 June 2006 (UTC)
Difference from jib sheet?
I think number 2 here is incorrect.
see "The Jib Sheets" at http://www.420manual.com/ D1gggg (talk) 21:18, 23 October 2017 (UTC)
The jib sheets are black/dark and not well visible, but the number 2 is squarely over the active jib sheet. I would support a better picture, but the numbering is not incorrect. Mr. Swordfish (talk) 18:47, 26 October 2017 (UTC)
It redirects back to this page, which contains no explanation of the phrase. Steveread999 (talk) 18:34, 20 December 2017 (UTC)
From the article, in the part about square-riggers:
"They are then not adjusted significantly while sailing until the sail is to be handed (put away) again."
It has been more than 45 years since I handle lines on the Eagle, but if I recall correctly, when a yard was being braced around (using the braces to change the angle of the yard, and the sail attached to it, in relation to the centerline of the ship), The sheets for the sails involved had to be tended, with one sheet being eased and the other taken in.
The sheets were taken to pins at particular places, and so the distance between the pin and the corner of the sail would change as the yard was brought around. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 2601:603:4C7E:2B40:B076:A6D9:1D7A:81F8 (talk) 03:36, 7 April 2022 (UTC)
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