Three sheets

[pussyfoot]

Where do we get the saying 'Three sheets to the wind'

[deepseadiver]

Its an old sailing term ...if your sheets i.e sails are out of control ...

[brian j john]

in nautical terms a sheet is the rope that holds the sails . hope this will help
http://www.phrases.org.uk/bulletin_board/16/me ssages/720.html

[con-amca]

A popular quiz question used to be:

"How many ropes on a sailing vessel?"

The answer was - one, the bell rope, i.e. the rope on the
clapper of the ship's bell. All the others are sheets, stays, halyards, shrouds etc etc.

[Loosehead]

As above the Sheets are the ropes that hold the sails. If they are not tied the the sails will flap and be innefective, hence, 3 sheets to the wind.