I have not worked since late april 2008, about 3 1/2 mos ago i bought a tesero cortez (ist detector ever owned) which in my opinion is a terrific land machine but being that i live 15 mins from the beach and i just settled my personal injury lawsuit the time has come for a water machine. so the big Q? WHICH ONE DO I BUY??????????????????? I'M OPENED MINDED AND WOULD APPRECIATE ALL INPUT.....................thanks rick
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What to do,what to do??
- Thread starter RICKinFLA
- Start date
Rick, there are some great detectors that would fit the bill for you but you will just have to decide on one and try it. The Minelab Excal II is one that lots of people swear by. I have a Sov GT, not for water although some have modified them for water hunting, and I can say it is my favorite detector and flawless on the saltwater beach sand, wet or dry. The Whites Beach Hunter 300 is a dual frequency unit as is the Fisher CZ's. But what I think I would like about the Beach Hunter is the lights as well as the tones. My hearing isn't the best so the lights would be an advantage for me. I just bought a Whites Surf PI Dual Frequency and already know that it will take some time to get comfortable with this detector but from all I hear and have read, including Clive's book, it will be worth the time it takes to learn it. Whatever you choose, if it's saltwater you're hunting, and being in Fla I suppose it is, get a dual or multi frequency unit as none of the single frequency units that I'm aware of handle the salt very well. I'm sure others more qualified on water detectors will speak up but give them time as it's the weekend and most of them are probably in the water. Best of luck with whatever you choose. 
Jerry
Jerry
scubadetector
New member
n/t
Before anything, I suggest if beach hunting, getting a waterproof unit. Not just for the peace of mind that if you drop it in the water it will be ok, but also for the fact that you can thoroughly rinse it off with fresh water after a hunt in the salt water. And you can rinse off ALL components ( meaning head phones too). Salt water and sand wreak havoc on detectors and it's best to be able to clean them off really well and let them dry. Having used my DFX on the beach ( it is a really good beach unit when set up correctly) and my friend who loves his Sov GT on the beach, they are subject to the salt air and sea spray and you cannot rinse them off. They end up getting corrosion on the head phone jacks, possibly start to get some inside the unit, etc. Your call, but waterproof machines, though more expensive, are just better for beach hunting.
Of all the machines mentioned, you have to realize there are big differences in PI units vs VLF units. If you are going to strictly hunt in the water, then the PI is the way to go. Much less trash. If you decide you want to venture into the dry sand, then the PI will start to wear on you due to hitting on every target. Yes, you can start to somewhat be able to tell differences in the targets like nails, iron, etc. but the more trash there is, the more there will be nails and iron targets on angles or sitting in a position where they sound good.
In all honesty, there are pros and cons to all detectors and only you can prioritize what features you like the best. If depth is the #1 feature you want, get a PI with a big coil like the Dual Field, Infinium or HH PI. If you want discrimination with tone ID, then the Excal, BHID300 and CZ21 is the way to go. If you want a more easier to use, light weight machine with discrimination, then the Detector Pros Wader with the 10 inch coil is a good buy.
Saying all that, I would suggest if this is your first go around hunting beaches, to stick with a good, waterproof VLF unit. You may get discouraged very quickly if you first use a PI.
Although you will not get the depth of a PI, you can always use an Excal, BHID300 or CZ21 in all metal mode to see how a PI may 'feel' ( and the BHID has a form of discrimination in all metal in that the lights on the machine still work although it is single tone. I have a BHID300 and when all metal hunting, when the red light flashes, the target is almost always iron or junk...it's a pretty cool feature). Still not the same as a true PI, but hunting in all metal does tune your ears a bit and you will realize how much more garbage you will dig up when using a PI.
JC
Of all the machines mentioned, you have to realize there are big differences in PI units vs VLF units. If you are going to strictly hunt in the water, then the PI is the way to go. Much less trash. If you decide you want to venture into the dry sand, then the PI will start to wear on you due to hitting on every target. Yes, you can start to somewhat be able to tell differences in the targets like nails, iron, etc. but the more trash there is, the more there will be nails and iron targets on angles or sitting in a position where they sound good.
In all honesty, there are pros and cons to all detectors and only you can prioritize what features you like the best. If depth is the #1 feature you want, get a PI with a big coil like the Dual Field, Infinium or HH PI. If you want discrimination with tone ID, then the Excal, BHID300 and CZ21 is the way to go. If you want a more easier to use, light weight machine with discrimination, then the Detector Pros Wader with the 10 inch coil is a good buy.
Saying all that, I would suggest if this is your first go around hunting beaches, to stick with a good, waterproof VLF unit. You may get discouraged very quickly if you first use a PI.
Although you will not get the depth of a PI, you can always use an Excal, BHID300 or CZ21 in all metal mode to see how a PI may 'feel' ( and the BHID has a form of discrimination in all metal in that the lights on the machine still work although it is single tone. I have a BHID300 and when all metal hunting, when the red light flashes, the target is almost always iron or junk...it's a pretty cool feature). Still not the same as a true PI, but hunting in all metal does tune your ears a bit and you will realize how much more garbage you will dig up when using a PI.
JC
grumpyolman
New member
A primary consideration is if you are going to wade and hunt or if you'll also dive and hunt. Some of the 'water' machines are not rated for any depth but are totally water resistant enough to walk with them into the water. If you dive, those on that list must be eliminated.
That being said, I'd consider two machines. One a VLF that will allow discrimination if you choose, and a PI unit. From what I have read it really sounds like the Excalibur multi-frequency unit is a primary choice. If you were only working fresh water, then there would be some other's in the mix as well.
You can spend hours on this and other forums following the discussions if the Infinium is better than the Dual Field, and on and on. They are both such good machines that in the final analysis it would be hard to determine if one machine was 'better' than the other as the experience and skill of the operator is such a major factor.
You have the $$ you could try them all, but then you'd never really master any of them. Best bet is find a club in your area and talk with the people and try their units out. Go to the beach and watch the other hunters and visit with them. Sometimes trial and error is as good a way to learn as is cognitive deduction. And...get a quality scoop. Sorry I said that, as now you'll be frustrated determining what is a good scoop. Well! That's been discussed at length here as well. Get something and get hunting. Learning/practicing is part of the fun...Jim
That being said, I'd consider two machines. One a VLF that will allow discrimination if you choose, and a PI unit. From what I have read it really sounds like the Excalibur multi-frequency unit is a primary choice. If you were only working fresh water, then there would be some other's in the mix as well.
You can spend hours on this and other forums following the discussions if the Infinium is better than the Dual Field, and on and on. They are both such good machines that in the final analysis it would be hard to determine if one machine was 'better' than the other as the experience and skill of the operator is such a major factor.
You have the $$ you could try them all, but then you'd never really master any of them. Best bet is find a club in your area and talk with the people and try their units out. Go to the beach and watch the other hunters and visit with them. Sometimes trial and error is as good a way to learn as is cognitive deduction. And...get a quality scoop. Sorry I said that, as now you'll be frustrated determining what is a good scoop. Well! That's been discussed at length here as well. Get something and get hunting. Learning/practicing is part of the fun...Jim
G. Edwards
New member
From what I hear from others on the Dual field that it is a great machine for depth, but in the water it hears the waves. I had a whites PI Pro and in the water It heard every wave no matter how deep i went. drove me nuts. and If you pass over a good target thats deep when the wave goes over you will not hear it. But If you do just the wet sand I'm sure it will go deeper than the other water machines, but at the cost of digging a lot of small iron. The Beach hunter ID is a very good machine, I all ways used it in all metal and just watched the lights. I worked next to a pier for 8 days in a row and found 9 gold rings. So it is a very good machine also. I use the Excal II 1000 now and I have been using it for 6 days and have gotten gold, Platinum, watches, and lots of change. What I do is hunt in all metal when it hits a deep target I switch to disc. mode most of the time it tells me what it is, but if it's to deep I dig just enough till the disc. mode can detect it and if it's good I dig, if it nulls, I recover the hole and walk away. I like the Excal a lot because I can go from water, to wet sand, to the dry sand and not have to change settings or detectors. You have to decide which detector fits your needs, Good luck, Gene
S.S.Tupperware
New member
My DF has no issues with the waves, turn your gain down a lil... sometimes if ya just barley turn on the delay it will also stop the falsing. When I first got it it still would read a target with the waves falsing it a lil. Just have to listen for it.