Bungee Cords For Tanks on Boats??

[DandyDon]

I'm a typical boy when it comes to toys - carrying my own Ox Analyger (sp?) to the dock and my own waterproof, portable marine radio (which I almost used last week - see Coco View Problems, Central America postings), and I could admit to other, possible excesses.

I've been on many dive boats, though, most of which do not use Bungees - and I often see a tank & BC take a dive when we hit a wave. Heard that one fell on another boat from the same dock we were using falling on and smashing a gal's mask. :whoa: No, the mask shouldn't be on the floor, but what if it'd smashed a foot? Or broke the valve off? :kaboom:

I've taken to carrying my own bungees - 2 or 3 of different lengths, and using them on every boarding. I think that the tank holders most boats use are fine until a BC & Octo-reg is attached!! Like many, I prefer to get my BC & Octo-reg on as soon as I board, or finish the first dive, but the tank carriers aren't built for that!

A small price and little weight to add to every dive bag - a danged good idea...?!?

 

[jplacson]

Hmmm... that seems like a good idea! I think I'll do something similar with some climbing rope

 

[DA Aquamaster]

I agree with your sentiments on tank holders - great for tanks, not so great for tanks and BC's, particularly weight integrated BC's, in rough water due to waves or even boat wakes.

On my boat I use bungee cords permanantly attached to the rail that then just loop over the tank valve or first stage. I've never had a tank fall over yet.

 

[BradfordNC]

Interesting D-Don,

I've never been on a boat that didn't have bungee cords permanently attached to the tank racks.

but will slip a bungee cord into the dive bag from now on, just in case i'm on a boat like you were on.

Brad

 

[nyresq]

I've never been on a dive boat that didn't have rails and a good supply of bungee cord for strapping in tanks.

If there wasn't any way to secure the tanks, why were they standing up??? If a tank isn't secured, it should always be laying down and chocked so it can't rol (doubles need not apply)

You have a 30 lb steel or aluminum object filled with 3,000 pounds of pressure that can rupture from a fall or cracked valve and be propelled several hundred feet with incredible force.

Tanks are something that should be treated with respect and are all too often taken for granted

 

[SCUBAMedicBill]

Most of the boats that I have been onhad bungees to secure the tanks to the rail. But I did have one boat that had clamps. These secured the tanks pretty well, didn't interfere with the BCD straps, and when you donned them you just leaned forward and out can the tank. When you finished the dive, all you had to do was sit back and the tank would snap right in.

Know in my buisiness, it was always important to be prepared, for anything. Towitt, I had all sorts of things I took with me; different size bungees, velcro, webbing with different types of buckles and D rings and sinch bukles. Lets not forget thin and wide elastic and a stong string with bees wax. Oyea, and a roll of duct tape and handtoles. I feel that I'm pretty well prepared for what ever repair arises. I doesn't take much re\oom and has surved me well.

Divers will not bemade fun of for having too much 'just in case" equipment because they will propably be coming to you fo something.

 

[Genesis]

Doubles can SLIDE on a deck, and if they do, the manifold is at significant risk of damage if it hits something.

Its simple physics - those things are HEAVY and if they DO impact something, the risk of manifold damage is quite high.

Mine fit "sideways" into my Roll Control racks - that is, one of the two tanks snaps in normally, with the second sticking out. Placed between two single tanks, or as a "stack" (if someone else has a set, they go next to one another) they're not going anywhere. I do leave the boots on, however, to provide some vertical stability and also to protect the boat deck.

This only works until you gear up; once you assemble them with your wing and plate you can't put them back into the rack. At that point they need to be laid flat. I usually lay a towel on the deck first which provides more friction and prevents them from sliding around.