Sailing knots · Hitch

How to Tie a Rolling Hitch

A rolling hitch grips another rope or a spar so it will not slide when pulled along its length. Take two turns round the rope, each riding over the standing part towards the load, then finish with a hitch on the far side.

A rolling hitch in blue rope gripping a thicker green rope
David J. Fred (retouched by Ibn Battuta), CC BY-SA 2.5
Type
Hitch
Used for
Attaching a line to another rope or spar so it grips under lengthwise pull. Used to take the load off a jammed sheet, and for snubbers.
Strength retained
~60% of rope strength

How to tie a rolling hitch, step by step

  1. 1

    First turn

    Take a turn round the rope or spar, crossing over the standing part towards the direction the load will come from.

    Yellow line taking its first turn round a red rope
    Markus Bärlocher, Public domain
  2. 2

    Second turn over the first

    Take a second turn the same way, riding over the first so the two turns lie side by side on the load side.

    Two riding turns of yellow line round the red rope
    Markus Bärlocher, Public domain
  3. 3

    Finish with a hitch

    Cross over to the far side of the standing part, take one more turn and tuck the end under it, like a clove hitch.

    The finished rolling hitch on the red rope
    Markus Bärlocher, Public domain
  4. 4

    Load it

    Pull the standing part along the rope towards the two turns. The hitch should grip and not slide.

Tip

Only holds well in one direction (the direction of the jamming turns). Use Magnus hitch for bidirectional loads.

Common mistakes

  • Putting the two turns on the wrong side. They must be on the side the load pulls towards, or the hitch slides.
  • Expecting it to hold in both directions. It grips one way only.
  • Tying it on a much thinner rope than the line it grips, where it may not bite.

Related knots

See all 8 knots in the knot guide or practise them in the knot game.

Frequently asked questions

How do you use a rolling hitch to free a riding turn on a winch?

Tie a rolling hitch with a spare line on the jammed sheet ahead of the winch, take that line to another winch and load it. With the strain taken off, you can clear the riding turn on the first winch.

What else is a rolling hitch used for?

Attaching a snubber to an anchor chain or warp, and tying a line to a spar or stanchion where it must not slide along.