Why are sheets called sheets

[capt_courageous]

Hi I can understand where 'halyards' comes from but what is the derivation of 'sheets' ? No luck on google, it says what they are but I know that. I suspect it may be Dutch or Scandanavia like lots of boaty words but does anyone know ?

 

[colvic987]

here's a list of nautical terms

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glossary_of_nautical_terms

 

[Lakesailor]

Sheet – A rope used to control the setting of a sail in relation to the direction of the wind.

Not a lot of help there.

However

Sea-traders and navies have always relied on ropes to control large sheets of sail.

May be a clue why they became known as sheets.

 

[kesh]

here's a list of nautical terms

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glossary_of_nautical_terms

that doesn't explain why.

more help here

http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=sheet

 

[machurley22]

Old English apparently.

"rope that controls a sail," O.E. sceatline "sheet-line," from sceata "lower part of sail," originally "piece of cloth," from same root as sheet (1) (q.v.). The sense transferred to the rope by 1294.

From Online Etymology Dictionary.

Damn - must learn to type more quickly.

 

[Ludd]

Old English apparently.

"rope that controls a sail," O.E. sceatline "sheet-line," from sceata "lower part of sail," originally "piece of cloth," from same root as sheet (1) (q.v.). The sense transferred to the rope by 1294.

From Online Etymology Dictionary.

Damn - must learn to type more quickly.

So why sternsheets?

 

[lenseman]

So why sternsheets?

They are there to keep your bum closed when it starts to blow up and you end up running in a NINE fully closed up with the third reef already set! !