Best knot to tie cylinders to the rail on a boat

[BlueTrin]

Hey what do you guys use to tie tanks to the rail in a boat ?

I think I use a bowline then I think I use a square knot to prevent the rope sliding

 

[tursiops]

I can't visualize what you think you are doing.
Is the bowline on a bight? What do you do with it once you've made it?
Note that it is not good enough to tie them securely; you also need to be able to untie them. A square knot is probably not the best choice.
Do you want one end of the rope attached to the rail?

 

[BlueTrin]

I can't visualize what you think you are doing.
Is the bowline on a bight? What do you do with it once you've made it?
Note that it is not good enough to tie them securely; you also need to be able to untie them. A square knot is probably not the best choice.
Do you want one end of the rope attached to the rail?

What I do is probably not very good: on some boats I use there is a rope already attached to the railing. It is often attached in the middle of the rope and both ends are loose so you can attach your cylinders.

You can use each end to attach your cylinder. What I do:

• I do a bowline on one end to attach both ends around the neck of the cylinder
• After tightening it I use a square knot to prevent it from slipping

Like you said, it’s probably not the correct thing to do ...

 

[tursiops]

OK, I understand a rope attached to the railing in its middle.
I understand the bowline on one of the free ends. Then what do you do with it?
If you've got a bowline on one of the free ends, what are the two ends you use to tie the square knot?

 

[lowviz]

Hey what do you guys use to tie tanks to the rail in a boat ?

Bungee cords, metal hook on either end. The boat provides a container full of them in various lenghts. Up to the diver to secure his/her rig so that it won't fall.

 

[BlueTrin]

OK, I understand a rope attached to the railing in its middle.
I understand the bowline on one of the free ends. Then what do you do with it?
If you've got a bowline on one of the free ends, what are the two ends you use to tie the square knot?

Actually I realise that it is not a square knot, sorry for the confusion.

I take the end which is sliding through the bowline and do (I am not sure of the correct name for this knot) two overhand knots (in opposite directions) but I do the overhand knots around the rope which had the bowline.

(I tried to find if there is a name for an overhand knot around another rope but didn’t find a name)

 

[BackAfter30]

what are the two ends you use to tie the square knot?

...and why? A bowline properly tied isn't going to come loose. But, why a bowline? I guess I'm not understanding the setup where that would make sense. I picture two full turns around the valve below the knob then a couple of half hitches. With that you can get any tension on the line that you need and it will hold through anything but a long brutal blow. I'm assuming that the tank is upright with the base in some sort of tank rack/holder and you are just anchoring it in place.

 

[tursiops]

Actually I realise that it is not a square knot, sorry for the confusion.

I take the end which is sliding through the bowline and do (I am not sure of the correct name for this knot) two overhand knots (in opposite directions) but I do the overhand knots around the rope which had the bowline.

(I tried to find if there is a name for an overhand knot around another rope but didn’t find a name)

OK, you are doing variants on a half-hitch. It would be better to put the non-bowline end through the bowline, and pull it tight, like using the bowline as a pulley, and tie the half-hitches around around the line that is NOT the bowline. Use several half-[hitches spaced out, with only the last two being snugged against each other. Not bad to untie.

 

[tursiops]

...and why? A bowline properly tied isn't going to come loose. But, why a bowline? I guess I'm not understanding the setup where that would make sense. I picture two full turns around the valve below the knob then a couple of half hitches. With that you can get any tension on the line that you need and it will hold through anything but a long brutal blow. I'm assuming that the tank is upright with the base in some sort of tank rack/holder and you are just anchoring it in place.

What you are picturing is not what he was doing. That's why I was asking questions.

 

[KenGordon]