coil one’s ropes, v. — Green’s Dictionary of Slang

coil one’s ropes v.

also coil one’s cables

[naut. imagery: a good sailor always coiled his ropes properly at the end of his work]

to die.

1925		(con. WWI) Fraser & Gibbons Soldier and Sailor Words 59: Coil Up One’s Ropes, To: To die.
1936		L. Pound ‘Amer. Euphemisms for Dying’ in AS XI:3 198: Coiled up his cables.
2003		Hampton & Moore Peter In Wonderland 🌐 He’s gonna go all decky with the whippersnapper. [...] Coil up his cables, give him the deep six, walk him up ladder lane and down hamp street. He’s gonna kill him, you stupid lummox!