Rolling Hitch
Magnus hitch
Gripping a loaded rope or spar to take a pull along it, such as taking the strain off a line jammed on a winch. It grips a pull in one direction only.
Hitch · Intermediate · Polyester / Nylon rope / Polypropylene / Natural fibre · 4 steps
ApplicationsHow to tie itFinished structure
No drawing of this exact knot yet. The written steps are the reference.
- Diagram in reviewA drawing of the Rolling Hitch itself is being made. Until then, follow the written steps.
Step 01
Decide which way the load will pull along the spar or loaded rope. Wrap the working end around it twice on that side, each turn crossing over its own standing part, so the two turns sit together.
No drawing of this exact knot yet. The written steps are the reference.
You should now seeTwo riding turns lying side by side on the spar, both crossed by the standing part and both on the side the load will pull toward.
If it goes wrongPutting the two turns on the side away from the pull. It looks the same, but when the load comes on the hitch slides along the spar instead of gripping.
Fix: Unwrap it and start again with the turns on the other side of the standing part, pointing toward where the load will travel.
Why: The riding turns do the gripping. The standing part lies across them and presses them down, but only when the pull runs toward their side and nearly along the spar.
- Diagram in reviewA drawing of the Rolling Hitch itself is being made. Until then, follow the written steps.
Step 02
Carry the working end across the standing part to the other side of the two riding turns and take a third turn around the spar there, going the same way round.
No drawing of this exact knot yet. The written steps are the reference.
You should now seeTwo turns on the load side of the standing part and a single turn on the opposite side, all wrapping the spar in the same direction.
If it goes wrongCrossing over after only one riding turn, which makes a clove hitch. Count the turns: one on each side of the standing part is a clove hitch, and it slides under a pull along the spar.
Fix: Unwind back to the riding turns, make sure there are two on the load side, then cross over and add the single turn.
Why: The third turn only holds the riding turns in place. The finished shape is a clove hitch with one extra riding turn on the side of the load.
- Diagram in reviewA drawing of the Rolling Hitch itself is being made. Until then, follow the written steps.
Step 03
Tuck the working end under that third turn, then pull it snug so the end is trapped against the spar.
No drawing of this exact knot yet. The written steps are the reference.
You should now seeThe working end coming out from under the third turn, pinned between that turn and the spar, and staying put when you let go.
If it goes wrongWrapping the third turn without tucking the end under it. The turn unrolls as soon as you let go, and the riding turns spread apart.
Fix: Take the end back around and tuck it under the third turn before letting go of the knot.
Why: The tuck turns the third wrap into a half hitch that keeps the riding turns together. Without it nothing stops the wraps loosening before the load comes on.
- Diagram in reviewA drawing of the Rolling Hitch itself is being made. Until then, follow the written steps.
Step 04
Push all three turns hard against each other, then load the standing part gradually along the spar, watching the turns rather than the tail.
No drawing of this exact knot yet. The written steps are the reference.
You should now seeThe turns settle slightly and then stop moving. On a loaded rope, the hitch puts a slight bend in the rope where it grips.
If it goes wrongSeeing the hitch creep along the spar and using it anyway. Creep under a slow, steady load gets worse once the load starts coming and going.
Fix: Take the load off and retie it with the turns pushed tighter, or add another riding turn. On slick rope such as Dyneema or Spectra, use a different attachment.
Why: Hook the Horizon's rule is that any creep at all means retie it. Animated Knots warns that a rolling hitch will not hold on slick modern fibres such as Dyneema.
When this family fails, it fails as these. The recovered end still outranks the name.
Directional bite on a standing part — slide-test before you trust it.
- !Turns on the wrong side of the load
- !Failed slide-test, still used
- !A clove where a rolling or icicle third turn was the job
- !The riding turns are on the side away from the pull, so the hitch walks along the rope without gripping
- !The turns were not pushed hard together before loading, so it creeps a little at a time
- !The spar or loaded rope is slick, such as Dyneema or Spectra
- !The pull comes off at an angle instead of along the spar, dragging the turns out of shape
Turns on the wrong side of the load
Hitch will not grip and slides off
Both first turns must sit on the load side · step 01
Clove instead of rolling third turn
Wrong hitch — walks under along-line pull
The third turn is what makes it a rolling hitch · step 02
Failed slide-test, still used
Snubber walks and dumps the load back on the windlass
If it walks on the test, do not trust it · step 04
Hitch slides down the standing part
Check
- ?Two load-side turns
- ?Pull along the standing part
Then
- →Add a turn
- →Do not use on HMPE without a different plan
Turns on the wrong side of the load
Check
- ?Hitch will not grip and slides off
- ?Inspect step 01
Then
- →Retie. Do not dress a defective structure and call it seated.
Clove instead of rolling third turn
Check
- ?Wrong hitch — walks under along-line pull
- ?Inspect step 02
Then
- →Retie. Do not dress a defective structure and call it seated.
Failed slide-test, still used
Check
- ?Snubber walks and dumps the load back on the windlass
- ?Inspect step 04
Then
- →Retie. Do not dress a defective structure and call it seated.
Same failure class, different geometry. Open the plates — Diagnose still starts from the symptom.
Not ideal for
- ×Slick HMPE standing part
- ×A hitch that must hold both ways equally