Transporting The Cylinders

[ellisj501]

Hi All,

Not long now, first dive back is booked in for the 3rd April and I cannot wait.

Been busy over the latest lock down, getting some more kit together and I got myself a kick ass little van, plenty of space in the back to carry my gear, get changed on those rainy days and have a flat loading surface for getting my BCD hooked up.

My question as in the title, how to transport the cylinders, normally in the car I put them behind the driver and passenger seats then stuff my dry suit down one end and my under suit against the other, shut the doors, sorted they aren't going anywhere. However, now I have my van, i'm not sure what the safest way is to go about it.

I have plenty of ratchet straps, there are hook points near the back door, but if I got shunted it would be risky, so if anyone else travels to dive sites via van I would love to know how you safely transport your cylinders.

Thanks very much

John

 

[TMHeimer]

I have a van too. For one tank, the BC is on it, weights in pockets. I put my "rubbermaid" bin in between it and the driver's seat.
I put the bottom of the tank facing the trunk door and a fin or two between the tank bottom & door, so it can't move. T put my (pouch) weight belt to next to the tank's right side so it can't slide over. If I'm carrying a second tank (or more) I put them on the floor between back and front seats and wedge them in with coats, jackets, whatever. Nothing can move. I have also used in front of the passenger seat, again with a lot of padding and stuff to keep it secure.

 

[ellisj501]

I have a van too. For one tank, the BC is on it, weights in pockets. I put my "rubbermaid" bin in between it and the driver's seat.
I put the bottom of the tank facing the trunk door and a fin or two between the tank bottom & door, so it can't move. T put my (pouch) weight belt to next to the tank's right side so it can't slide over. If I'm carrying a second tank (or more) I put them on the floor between back and front seats and wedge them in with coats, jackets, whatever. Nothing can move. I have also used in front of the passenger seat, again with a lot of padding and stuff to keep it secure.

Thats brilliant, thank you, yeah I was looking at putting one of the tanks in the front passenger side, great idea for the second in the back.

Thanks again, much appreciated.

John

 

[rhwestfall]

Pool noodle/rope type holder with ratchet straps securing to a fixed object and/or one of the velcro talk carriers and ratchet straps to a fixed object...

 

[Edward3c]

Before I got a vehicle with tie down points I used to ratchet the cylinders together. A solution I’ve seen is two wooden struts with Vs cut, the cylinder sits in the V. Or you could build a cylinder rack on one of the side walls.

 

[TMHeimer]

Thats brilliant, thank you, yeah I was looking at putting one of the tanks in the front passenger side, great idea for the second in the back.

Thanks again, much appreciated.

John

Yeah-- the one in the back is right ready to go for the first dive. I usually use only one per day. If I have others to be filled/serviced I drop them off at the shop first, rather than have them in the car--don't have to worry about heat that way, even here in N.S.

 

[100days-a-year]

It's easier with more gear.We just bought enough tanks to make a single layer to start and added layers over the years. The most we carried was 40 in a Dodge caravan to Underseas in the Keys every week or so on vacations.

 

[Julius SCHMIDT]

A few of these scattered around works wonders

450mm x 150mm

 

[clownfishsydney]

Always put the tank valve towards the back of the car. If you get hit from behind, the tank becomes a pointed projectile, easily able to penetrate a car seat and hurt a back.

 

[Russjstewart]

Always put the tank valve towards the back of the car. If you get hit from behind, the tank becomes a pointed projectile, easily able to penetrate a car seat and hurt a back.

I agree completely with the idea of pointing valves towards the back of the car, but not because of being hit from behind. If you get hit from behind the car will accelerate suddenly and the tanks will move towards the rear of the car. The problem is when you stop suddenly such as hitting a solid object or a head on collision. In that case the tanks will move towards the front of the car. The tanks need to be secured against something solid to stop forward movement, as well as rolling. And moving towards the rear of the car. I have a cargo barrier that the bottom of the tanks sit against and then tie them down to stop rearward movement.