The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

THREE SHEETS TO THE WIND'S EYE

THIS TERM WAS ORIGINATED IN SAILING. IF YOU HAD THREE JIB SAILS
UP AND THEY WERE ALL AT THE WRONG ANGLE TO THE WIND, THE SHIP
WOULD STAGGER DRUNKENLY UNTIL THE PROBLEM WAS CORRECTED. THE
MOVEMENT OF THE SHIP WOULD BE FROM SIDE TO SIDE.

Submitter comment: THIS COLLECTION STARTED BECAUSE I WAS HAVING A DISCUSSION WITH
MS BOW ABOUT THE SLIDE RULE DINNER HELD BY THE ENGINEERS YEARLY
FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT. I TOLD HER OF COMMENTING TO A
STUDENT THERE THAT HE LOOKED LIKE HE WAS THREE SHEETS TO THE WIND.
HE REPLIED THAT HE WAS FOUR (SHEETS TO THE WIND). MS. BOW THEN
RESPONDED BY SAYING, DO YOU KNOW WHERE THAT TERM COMES FROM? SHE
TURNED OUT TO BE A MARVELOUS SOURCE OF ITEMS FOR THIS COLLECTION.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT