tying surgeon tubes on a BCD

[ksporry]

Guys,
I got a wing style BCD from DiveSystem. When I bought it, the salesguy showed me how to tie the surgeon tubes that came with it (for BCD retraction banding). He showed me how to tie the knots. However, the knot he used feels wrong. I believe he used a granny knot. From my days with the sea scouts, we would never use a granny knot, but instead a reef knot.
I tried to look it up on the internet and see if I could find a picture showing the knot used with others, but so far no luck.
Could someone please tell me what the best knot is to tie the surgeon tubes as retraction banding?
Thanks!

 

[buddhasummer]

This site may be of some help.

Animated Knots App | Animated Knots on your iPad | Knots on Your iPad

Animated Knots by Grog | How to Tie Knots | Fishing, Boating, Climbing, Scouting, Search and Rescue, Household, Decorative, Rope Care,

 

[ksporry]

hmm, thanks. However, I know how to tie knots, my issue is that I don't know which one to use for this particular application. a Granny knot will slip. Despite that I have two sources that suggest the use of a granny knot (the seller, and a youtube clip where someone shows the assembly of bcd retraction banding for my particular BCD).

 

[buddhasummer]

Sorry, I misread your post. I always use double overhand reef knots as they do not slip.

 

[T-Wrecks]

You may want to consider leaving the retraction bands off. Bungeed BCD's present a host of problems that outweigh the easy deflation they offer. Specifically, they are difficult to orally inflate, the bungees are an added entanglement hazard, and should your BCD develop a slow leak, it will become an extremely fast leak thanks to the constant pressure bungees provide.

 

[TSandM]

They're using surgical tubing for retractions bands? That's odd. My experience has been that surgical tubing, exposed to sun and salt water, doesn't last very long, which is why almost everybody I know uses either bungie or inner tube bands for any elastic applications on dive gear.

 

[ksporry]

hmm, inner tube band is the same materials as surgical tubing I thought (at least back when I had a bike as a kid it was...). EIther way, that's what mine came with, and yes, I totally agree that rubber in general is not a long term weatherproof material. So I'll probably replace it with bungie cord at some point (Or remove them completely).

 

[gbf]

BWOD!! BWOD!! You're gonna die!! (j/k)

I can verify what TSandM said by having personally experienced a wad of surgical tubing-turned-to-goo. A long time ago we used them to stuff our long hoses.

Use bungee. It doesn't last forever, but it might as well as compared to surgical tubing. Unless surgical tubing has changed in the last 30 years.

 

[socaljohn]

Guys,
I got a wing style BCD from DiveSystem. When I bought it, the salesguy showed me how to tie the surgeon tubes that came with it ?

Wonder if the OP was referring to a surgeons knot which is a double overhand reef knot??

 

[ksporry]

nope, it wasn't a surgeon's knot. It was definitely a Granny's knot...