GTI 1500 / 2500 in the surf?

[roseon3rd]

Anyone had any experience with their GTI1500 or 2500 in the surf? How'd it do? Salt elimination work good? I realize you don't want to get the control box wet and I'm just talking about getting into 12 inches +- of beach water. Let me know. I'm headed to the east coast in a couple of weeks and plan to take my GTI1500 and my CZ-70.

Thanks,
Curt aka KingsMtnMan

 

[roseon3rd]

Ok...maybe I should rephrase my question. I have a GTI 1500 that is nothing but a coin killer this side of 6-7 inches on land. If there's a coin under the coil within that depth,its mine. No ifs, ands or buts about it. I've never had it at the beach but figure I'll take it this year. I'm doing my annual beach trip here in a few weeks and looking forward to getting up at 5:30am, catching a beautiful sunrise,then hunting the beach line in hopes of pulling some jewelry out of the surf before the crowds get up. I don't plan to get out in the ocean where I may be swamped with a rogue wave or anything but just say mid-calf or so. I know the coil is waterproof and the control box isn't so I plan to cover the box with a couple of seal plastic bags just in case. Now, I'm just looking for someone to give me any tips that may aid me in my search for some elusive gold or silver jewelry. I've owned the machine since Nov '08 and have enjoyed hunting with it on land (see my finds since Jan 1, 2009). I've never found a gold ring but plan to bypass coins in search for gold this trip. Is there any particular settings that I should apply? Disc out everything below foil and above one cents? How about sensitivity? Run it as high as possible without falsing? Any of you seasoned vets that can help ,I'd apprectaite it.
Take care and HH,

Curt aka KingsMtnMan

Here's my '09 finds. as you can see...no gold.

 

[cwilk]

You need a bigger treasure chest! I started out with one that size and filled it in about 2 months. I still use that exact size box for week ends away from home. I was planning to trade in my clad at the end of the year but I was soon overwhelmed with it and started banking it on a monthly basis. My jewelry, old coins, and interesting relics now occupy 5 great big tackle boxes (bait boxes.)

Personally, I'd dig everything on the beach. You never know if that pile of clad might be near some folding money or some other interesting item. I find in sand I need to bump my sensitivity down quite a bit (4-6) but that my 2500 goes very deep anyhow. Much deeper than I care to dig a lot of the time. I'd stay out of the water with your 1500. Stick to wet and dry sand. You'll need a sand scoop. Kick the sand back into your holes.

Nice collection of silver coins! I'd trade a pile of my silver jewelry finds for that Barber Quarter! Good luck finding gold.

Chris

Garrett sells a pocket book about hunting surf and sand. It costs about 4 bucks direct from them. I highly recommend you read it.

 

[metalhead]

Nice collection of finds!It seems like you've got the right idea for getting the gold notchin' out below foil and above penny. I must agree with Chris, though, just stick to the wet and dry sand with 1500. I use my Infinium or Sea Hunter in the surf and my GTI 2500 in dry. If I do take the GTI into a little water I will manually ground balance it in all metal mode just to handle the salt water. You may actually do better in the surf with the CZ-70 because you can ground balance it and the control housing and speaker are splash proof. Good luck. Happy Hunting!

 

[bcoop]

If you just wanting to find gold rings I would notch out iron then notch out pennies all the way through quarters. You want to dig everything from foil, nickels, pull tabs and bottle caps. That is where most gold rings will pick up at. You will miss quarters, dimes and most silver with these settings but you should find any gold rings out there.

B. Cooper

 

[BigCatDaddy]

Lower the Sensitivity way down, wet salt sand is tough.
Just because you are in the water does not mean you will find more loot than in the wet sand. Plan your hunt for low tide. Get there an hour before it starts. Work the beach in a zig-zag pattern till you get a good hit, then turn and work parallel with the shore line. Targets of like weight tend to gather together in a straight line. They are constantly on the move so you gotta find that Pay Zone and work it. Look for any troughs cut into the shore line and work them hard, there lies your gold!!

 

[roseon3rd]

Thanks to cwilk, metalhead,bcoop & BigCatDaddy! I appreciate the insight and helpful tips. I'm looking forward to my beach hunting starting on 7/1 and hope to have something worth posting when I get back.
HH

Curt aka KingsMtnMan