A sheet is a primary control line attached to the lower corner of a sail or to a boom. Crew members pull in or ease out the sheet to adjust the sail's angle to the wind, a process known as trimming. Proper sheeting dictates the vessel's speed, balance, and heading efficiency.
Ease the main sheet a few inches to stop us from heeling so much.
Non-sailors often think a sheet is the canvas itself; on a boat, it is strictly the rope controlling it.
Do not mix it up with
- Sail: A sheet is the rope that controls the sail, not the canvas fabric itself.
Related terms
Sail
A shaped expanse of flexible material rigged to catch the wind and generate forward propulsion for a vessel.
Jib
A triangular sail set forward of the foremost mast on a sailing vessel.
Boom
A horizontal spar attached to the mast that extends and controls the foot of a sail.
Tacking
The maneuver of turning a sailing vessel's bow through the wind to change direction.