Carrying scuba tanks on board?

ric992

Member
Apr 5, 2021
147
Miami Beach
Boat Info
2007 Sundancer 48
Engines
Cummins QSC 8.3
Hi, anyone here a diver? I'm trying to think of good ways to safely carry tank onboard. Any ideas?
 
When I bring my tanks and gear I put it in the trunk.
I all ways keep my poney bottle in a backpack with a reg under the aft seat
 
When crossing I keep them in the coffin downstairs using "foam noodles" to keep them tightly packed. I usually travel with 6 100cf steel tanks when we trip for the weekend as my whole family dives. All the dive gear goes under the seats. I also keep them behind the helm seat strapped together (seas permitting) sometimes. With the FL sun it is important to keep them out of the direct heat. I had a burst valve pop once when a tank was left in my car for a few hours....that was scary. Looking to pick up a portable Bauer compressor at some point because dive shops in the Keys and Bahamas not always open when it is "convienant" for me to get them filled.
 
When crossing I keep them in the coffin downstairs using "foam noodles" to keep them tightly packed. I usually travel with 6 100cf steel tanks when we trip for the weekend as my whole family dives. All the dive gear goes under the seats. I also keep them behind the helm seat strapped together (seas permitting) sometimes. With the FL sun it is important to keep them out of the direct heat. I had a burst valve pop once when a tank was left in my car for a few hours....that was scary. Looking to pick up a portable Bauer compressor at some point because dive shops in the Keys and Bahamas not always open when it is "convienant" for me to get them filled.
When you keep them behind the helm seat, do you lay them down with the "noodles"?
 
No standing up but with a strap wrap around them all. I usually have 2 5 gallon jugs of gas for the jet ski there also so that help stabilize them.
 
No standing up but with a strap wrap around them all. I usually have 2 5 gallon jugs of gas for the jet ski there also so that help stabilize them.

Hi, do you usally stop at dive shops to fill or do you have a compressor and fill them yourself?
 
Hi, do you usally stop at dive shops to fill or do you have a compressor and fill them yourself?
I do dive shops but I am considering a Bauer 220V compressor the only issue is space to store it. Not sure that will happen anytime soon. With 100cf tanks I personally can get 3 30 minute+ dives out of one tank in the mostly less than 30ft dives we do. My kids usually get 2 dives out of one tank.
 
I keep a Mantus mini-rig on board. Its good for about 30 minutes and is small enough to fit in one of the compartments under the forward berth. It's slightly negative in buoyancy, so no weights are needed. 30 minutes is plenty to inspect your belly or running gear, change out an anode, etc.

I haven't thought much about bigger tanks, but I imagine I would store them in mid-cabin well, or maybe in the bilge under the cabin sole.
 
I keep a Mantus mini-rig on board. Its good for about 30 minutes and is small enough to fit in one of the compartments under the forward berth. It's slightly negative in buoyancy, so no weights are needed. 30 minutes is plenty to inspect your belly or running gear, change out an anode, etc.

I haven't thought much about bigger tanks, but I imagine I would store them in mid-cabin well, or maybe in the bilge under the cabin sole.
That Mantus rig looks pretty cool but just too small to dive reefs on it and not safe in my book for anything over 20 feet. The make longer cylinders that will fit it and that might be cool. I really liked their new compressor but just too small for real diving. I think I will get a mantus set up & extra tank to have on the boat as that is easy to stow and great for emergency.
 
I do dive shops but I am considering a Bauer 220V compressor the only issue is space to store it. Not sure that will happen anytime soon. With 100cf tanks I personally can get 3 30 minute+ dives out of one tank in the mostly less than 30ft dives we do. My kids usually get 2 dives out of one tank.

Question: How many amps would the compressor draw? Can your generator supply enough or will you need to run it off shore power? I’m interested in your setup.

Comment: You are probably already aware of this, so I hope I am not insulting you. But it is important enough to risk. When/if you do fill your own off your boat, please please be very conscious of the quality of air you are pumping in the tanks. Make sure no boats are running around you. CO can drift around and it doesn’t take much mixed in a compressed tank to cause major problems breathing it at depth. I manage a public safety dive team where we fill our own tanks from small gasoline powered compressors. I located our air intake up high and far away from any CO source.

Good luck. Post some dive pics!
 
Question: How many amps would the compressor draw? Can your generator supply enough or will you need to run it off shore power? I’m interested in your setup.

Comment: You are probably already aware of this, so I hope I am not insulting you. But it is important enough to risk. When/if you do fill your own off your boat, please please be very conscious of the quality of air you are pumping in the tanks. Make sure no boats are running around you. CO can drift around and it doesn’t take much mixed in a compressed tank to cause major problems breathing it at depth. I manage a public safety dive team where we fill our own tanks from small gasoline powered compressors. I located our air intake up high and far away from any CO source.

Good luck. Post some dive pics!
Yes my generator can run a compressor but the reality is I would probably be doing this more dockside than on the boat unless I REALLY needed to dive again.
 

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