Brush up your slang.

[Kentop]

It's only obscure if you've never heard it. Every officer aboard a ship had his or her own terms for things, and you had better learn them quick. Crews aboard ships back in Napoleonic times were French, Dutch, English, African and even American. Haband is the french word for Sheet. Haul Habands meant haul in the sheets. Every ship was different, with different terms depending on the makeup of the officers.

The link Rob posted is one of those nonsense posts trying to make sense out of British sayings from an earlier time.Don't believe a word of it.