No, by design, the BOA WINCH is self-locking due to the worm gear mechanism. The tension on the strap will be maintained until the hexagonal tightening nut is unscrewed with the BOA WINCH ratchet handle. By unscrewing the tightening nut, the tension will instantly drop to zero eliminating any risk of kickback related injuries. Subsequently, by pulling the nut out, the mandrel will be released, which will allow the strap to be unrolled or rolled up quickly using the quick rewind handle, located on the left side of the winch.