What's everyone diving from? What would you want to see on the ultimate dive/detecting rig?

[ZOFCHAK]

For those that are detecting underwater how do you go about getting to your locations? I know in saltwater many just walk from the beach, but here in Michigan to hunt some of the good locations it takes a bit of of a boat ride to get there. Right now I'm using a 12' sit on top kayak for small inland lakes and 17' flat bottom fishing boat for the more out of the way spots. They work ok, but a lot of places I can't launch the larger boat and the kayak leaves a lot to be desired for a long day of detecting. I'm making my Winter project list and I'm seriously considering setting up a small pontoon boat with the sole purpose of metal detecting. I'm thinking about a 9-10 pontoon boat and keep it small and light enough so that it can be hand launched when necessary, but large enough to provide a bit of stability and room to take a mid afternoon break on the water. Lockable storage for detectors and tanks, a built in battery powered hookah, solar panels to keep the batteries charged up (and give a respite from the sun), fold out sifting screens and hanging mesh bags for debris and finds and of course a swim ladder for ease of access.



Anyone else have any particular setups that they use for detecting? Any ideas as to other improvements or additional ideas for a small boat made especially for detecting?

 

[OldBeechnut]

Here is my Pirate ship. I had big plans for it, Custom Paint, gps/depth finder, hooka etc. But I got a bacterial infection in june and it's set me back 4 months now, I'm getting well so plans are back on track for next spring for some Bay hunting.

 

[scubadetector]

Zofchak, Might as well save your money. I have emptied all the lakes in Michigan of all the good stuff. Would be a waste of money to buy a boat.


LOL seriously. I have a VERY stable 1990 Four Winns Candia. A deck boat. Two ladders on the back and LOTS of storage and stability with a huge swim platform. I don't have lockable storage because I only have one detector in it at a time and I usually take 4 tanks. Nobody has tried to board it yet. I fly a dive flag on it as well as the one on my float.

The only problem with my Candia is my Explorer is kind of small to pull it. I have a 20' one with a Chev 350 and should have tried to find a 18 foot with a 4.3 and a single axle trailer. Ohh well it really moves and gets me where I want to dive!!

 

[ZOFCHAK]

Zofchak, Might as well save your money. I have emptied all the lakes in Michigan of all the good stuff. Would be a waste of money to buy a boat.

. Well, I did manage to find a few things that you must have missed.


A deck boat would be ideal for a lot of the places I hunt, but I don't have access to a launch on many of the better lakes around here. I actually checked out a nice 20' NuaticStar deckboat earlier this year, but the metal detector gods didn't put my coil over enough gold this season

 

[ZOFCHAK]

Here is my Pirate ship. I had big plans for it, Custom Paint, gps/depth finder, hooka etc. But I got a bacterial infection in june and it's set me back 4 months now, I'm getting well so plans are back on track for next spring for some Bay hunting.

Hope you're well enough to loot the bay next year and that's a great looking rig! I'd love to have that Honda on the back of my boat.

Probably unrelated to your issue, but I've often wondered if we face an increased risk of bacterial infections while detecting. I hunt some areas up here where the bottom and water is seriously "funky" and getting small cuts while underwater is a common occurrence when dealing with the trash and glass.