18" Coiltek coil

[cudamark]

Has anyone gotten enough hours on an 18" Coiltek Equinox 800/900 coil at a salt water beach to form an opinion on it's strengths and weaknesses? How does it compare with the 12X15" Minelab coil, or even the 15" Coiltek coil for that matter.

 

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[WaterWalker]

The biggest advantage of a larger coil is the fact that you cover more area with each swing. for beach and water detecting, face it, you are looking for the recent losses, you can not keep a tight grid underwater, salt water sand is moving and there might be an inch (or more) of sand at any beach and any day, so I don't worry about depth as I would if working cellar holes or parks. The only coil I used on an Excalibur for some 8,000 hour in the water was the Coiltek WOT 15" coil (starting in 1992). Now I am waiting on the M15 for my Manticore. I have hope for seeing one next year.
I choose a coil size to fit the area of search from a 4" to 18". No one coil/detector can do it all. That is why I have choices of a 4, 8, 10, 11, 15 and 18 inch coil / detector combination. My coil/detector combination choice is narrowed by the environment and target object I will be searching for. Likewise, each combination also has its limitations.

 

[billb]

Has anyone gotten enough hours on an 18" Coiltek Equinox 800/900 coil at a salt water beach to form an opinion on it's strengths and weaknesses? How does it compare with the 12X15" Minelab coil, or even the 15" Coiltek coil for that matter.

Mark great post are you considering getting a 18 inch Coiltek for the Equinox 900
How are you doing with the Deus 2 in the water with the wire
Do you still prefer the 900 In the water over the D2
Thanks
Bill

 

[cudamark]

Mark great post are you considering getting a 18 inch Coiltek for the Equinox 900
How are you doing with the Deus 2 in the water with the wire
Do you still prefer the 900 In the water over the D2
Thanks
Bill

I'm considering it for coverage, but, not if if I have to give up much. If it's way heavy (like the Coiltek 15"), loses sensitivity on small targets, and/or, is erratic or super sensitive to EMI, then I might not. Added depth would be a nice bonus too if it gets you some. I'm still not in love with the D2. If you try to go into the surf with it, the antenna cable causes a lot of drag and pulls the control pod off that ridiculously flimsy mount. I know, I can get an aftermarket mount, but, I just haven't gotten to that stage since I'm still not speaking French very well yet. In a turfed area with no depth meter, the D2 is not my machine of choice. The Nox is just part of me at this point, so, it's my go-to machine.

 

[billb]

I'm considering it for coverage, but, not if if I have to give up much. If it's way heavy (like the Coiltek 15"), loses sensitivity on small targets, and/or, is erratic or super sensitive to EMI, then I might not. Added depth would be a nice bonus too if it gets you some. I'm still not in love with the D2. If you try to go into the surf with it, the antenna cable causes a lot of drag and pulls the control pod off that ridiculously flimsy mount. I know, I can get an aftermarket mount, but, I just haven't gotten to that stage since I'm still not speaking French very well yet. In a turfed area with no depth meter, the D2 is not my machine of choice. The Nox is just part of me at this point, so, it's my go-to machine.

Thank you so so much for your kindness and advice Mark
Happy Hunting my friend

 

[LawrencetheMDer]

In comparing the 800's standard coil to the 15", I find 11% more coins and keepers with the 15" vs 11" at the beach I do find .25c and .10c all day long at about 12" down, beyond the 11" coil. Just recovered 84 coins in 4 hrs at very popular beach that were all "surfers" (ie surf waves to foot of sand dunes and often heavily tarnished) and I swear most were 12" - 15" down (not a single nickel, because nickels don't surf).

On my 4th 800 (drowned 2) and just got a Manicore and waiting for my 15" coil for it. 95% beach and water hunting, 255 hrs last yr (2023). 11 gold rings in 2023.
Happy Hunting