Looking for info on the Fisher 1280 Aqua in salt water surf..

[TigerNed]

I'm getting back into detecting this year and I've always been more into water hunting than land, but I do enjoy both. I used to hunt mostly fresh water so I was a die hard Tesoro Tiger Shark user. I could hunt salt water beaches, but I couldn't get the Tiger to work very well in the actual surf. Here in New England, our beachs are very tough on a number of detectors......

I do remember seeing a gent, using a 1280 Fisher, and he seemed to do very well with it in the surf. Does anyone here from the Connecticut area or surrounding New England States have any impute or experiences using the 1280 in the oceans here, particularly Long Island Sound...

Thanks. Tiger Ned

 

[TigerNed]

bump

 

[Bobbie]

The pickings are really lean on all the Connecticut beaches no matter what you use. For the most part some are very sanded in, while others have been picked clean by clubs. I've seen a couple of guys over the past year using the 1280 in the wet sand and they weren't getting much either. Both my husband and I use Excals.

 

[rmptr]

I have used a Fisher 1280-X on California black sand beaches.
It works fine on the dry.

Never had the control box underwater, but it works well in 1 - 2ft of saltwater.

It will give false signals in the soup, very shallow water/transition line between wet and water.
But that does not necessarily prevent a good signal from being heard.

Built like a tank and excellent battery life.
...a great feature is batteries are in a separate compartment from the electronics.

I felt it awkward to use with 10 1/2 coil on the dry. I did not hip or chest mount. Rear under pole mount might be good idea.

I swapped it off recently to get a Garrett Sea Hunter PI, for entertainment.
...so now I dig more rusty iron crud!

I never really gave the Fisher a good chance.
It probably balances better and works well underwater while diving, with shaft slid up short.

rmptr

 

[TigerNed]

Thanks for the responses......I will take all into consideration.

 

[scotthowes]

just bought a used unit.i live on a small lake in up state new york.it has a very old swim area that I've found a few things.I used in FLA. this year i am pleased so far.also works well in wet sand. like any thing it takes time to learn what it will do and how to do it.good luck

 

[sealteem5]

i had the 1280x and used it with a 3 inch keene coin and relic dredge it is a great machine have nothing to say bad about it,and it works great on land this machine really goes deep .had it for five years no troubles

 

[thinkin2]

Not from up your way and not sure about differences in our beaches but I had one some years back and never did like it on saltwater beaches where I live (Charleston, SC area). If you plan to go with a Fisher unit I would suggest looking at one of the CZ units. Much better for salt water, imo. Minelab rules though. Again, just my opinion and best of luck with whatever you get.
Jerry

 

[TreasurdiggrNY]

I have a 1280X, I love it. For the salt beach you need to be in the water or out of the water, stay away from having the little waves crashing over the coil. You will have to adjust the sensitivity at the beach too. Wherever you are on the beach you will have to turn the sensitivity down because of the mineralization. Start with the sens at 10 and turn it down just until it stops "chattering" for me here in NY it is anywhere from 5 to 7 when I'm in the water and 7-10 in the wet sand. If the beach is free of trash I run the disc at 0, if the beach is trashy I will run it around 3 1/2 or 4. Good Luck!
Glenn

 

[thinkin2]

Hey, sealteem5, am I reading your screen name like I think I am? No SEAL here but I spent 14 years riding submarines and some time in destroyers back in the mid to late '60s. Nice to see some navy here.
Jerry