I've seen sails used to indicate the layers of female clothing

'she lowered her topsls, t'gallants and all
her lily white hands on his reef tackle fall'

is probably one of the most salacious lines I sing...

I get the same sense of shivering the tops'ls as in that song 'take it easy, take it easy, don't let the sound of your own wheels drive you crazy' - I have an Eagles album with it on - where the woman slows down to take a look at him.