Planning my next trip to the keys and would like to dive my doubles, espeically on the SG, Duane, Eagle, etc. Are there any dive ops that cater to divers with doubles?? Mine are 8" tanks.
Silent World even has doubles for rent!
Diving doubles isn't so much an issue in the Keys, as long as your clear on your run-time expectations.... Booking on a recreational/mixed charter with the expectation of anything seriously tech w/o talking to the captain will cause friction...
Personally, doing recreational profiles in doubles has not been an issue with the following charters:
Silent World
Conch Republic
BlueWater Divers
Ocean Divers
I've even gone so far as to bring a deco bottle on 3 of the 4 mentioned above as well... still limiting to rec runtimes, i.e. 45-55 minutes.
You may get grief at Ocean Divers if you want them filled w/ Nitrox... they seem to make up the rules as they go as far as tank cleaning, nitrox bands, etc.... Also, you might have difficulty fitting 8" doubles into the few spots which arn't physically made for ~7ish" tanks.... The one day we showed up w/ doubles and two rebreathers, two Dolphin's also showed up..., so one Meg had to take the floor for the ride out....
The fill stations at Silent World and Conch Republic are more 'mature'... I don't recall what BWD's fill capabilities are, I recall a dockside compressor, so getting nitrox between dives might be complicated.
When is your trip...? I'm always looking for an excuse to get down to the Keys.
Bottom line: stick to any of the fine charter operators actively participating here on ScubaBoard... They treat you right, have good operations, and generally offer a little discount...
If your wanting Tech runtimes..., then Silent World and Conch Republic are the go to ops. Your just going to need to find/schedule a recreational double-drop, or fill the boat minimum to run...
horrizon rents doubles and stage bottle and does tech dives, i saw a guy bring a rebrether othe last time i was there
They even leave you
drifting for 30 minutes before looking....
-Tim