Riding Turn

A turn of rope trapped beneath or crossed by another loaded turn on a winch or drum.

It forms when incoming rope overrides an earlier turn, often because of an unsuitable lead angle, slack handling or too many turns. Load then pinches the lower rope so it cannot run or be eased normally.

A riding turn under high load can release suddenly and should not be pulled apart by hand. The load must be controlled using a safe vessel-specific method, such as transferring it to another line or winch, while people remain clear; correct lead and orderly tailing help prevent recurrence.