dirt vs sand

[Stegner]

I just finished my first season of MD'ing. I spend most of my time digging dirt, but have spent time at the beach in the fall/winter especially after the nor'easters hit the Jersey shore. I've spent time online studying beach techniques (esp. youtube - Surfdigger's videos). I'm interested in people's best techniques - esp. how to maximize effectiveness when targeting spots on the beach.

Also, I'm wondering how much I'm wasting time using a basic detector like my Prizm 6 instead of a specific detector for water?

Any advice welcome!

 

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[DrJoePrime]

Just some simple advice from me.

I like (a lot!) hunting the wet sand (I'll leave the water hunting to the youngsters) with my White's Surfmaster PI and have recently learned something that I'd like to pass along.

I recently bought a large water scoop that I use for the wet sand. It digs in about 12" and it's great for depth. I started to listen to very small whisper signals and for the heck of it dug them out since it was relatively easy with my new scoop. To my amazement a large percentage turned out to be GOOD targets. Silver rings, Silver coins quite often! Of course not every time but often enough to make things interesting and opening up a whole new way (for me) to detect. Easily have gotten quarters at 16"+.

So my opinion is that a PI is a great machine for the beach .. even the older machines .

The only criticism I have is that the older machines (like mine) need to be modded for small gold (which I plan to do real soon).

HH Joe

 

[Dirt Fishin Dale]

Ok here we go, I have only been doing this for about 20 years so I don’t know it all, and never will. Beach detecting is just like dirt detecting it’s the same just without the roots, rocks etc. go where the people go. I have the most luck on the beach near or at the cross over’s and then straight out and about 40’ to each side. If you have ramps on your walk over’s, check at the railings leading down to the end of the ramp. A lot of people jump the rail instead of walking to the end, thus losing stuff on the way. I have found a lot of chains in those areas believe it or not. Watch the beach some day and see where people lay out their towels. Most of the time they will do it where the beach is more level, right before the slope to the wet sand. In the winter time here in Florida people will look for a wind block on cooler days. I found that they tend to stay closer to the dunes for protection. (Found good stuff there also) . But I must include that I have found some really good targets way off the beaten path. As far as the Prizm 6, I am not sure how that does down in the wet sand. I know the prizm IV did a lot of faulsing when I tried it so I stayed up in the dry stuff and did well. Hope you do well.
Dale

 

[Stegner]

Yes, I do get a lot of "falsing" in the wet sand. I suspect that if I really want to spend a lot of time at the beach (wet sand) I should invest in the right gear - unless others think otherwise?

 

[DrJoePrime]

Yes, I do get a lot of "falsing" in the wet sand. I suspect that if I really want to spend a lot of time at the beach (wet sand) I should invest in the right gear - unless others think otherwise?

After posting my reply to you about the wet sand hunting I got excited enough to go back to the beach and try some (believing my own propaganda). WELL ... there are times when it sucks! You need to wait until sand has been removed .. by tidal, wind or storm action. So that's part 2 of my reply to you.

AND, Yes I think a good PI is an absolute necessity for the wet sand. I have patches of black sand 2" to 3" thick that the PI penetrates ..in fact that last gold class ring was exactly that situation .. sitting under 2" of black sand.

HH Joe

 

[Stegner]

and "PI" stands for......what?

 

[White Feather]

PI = Pulse Induction. I have a Surfmaster that I got sometime around 1989 and it is still going strong. Great machine with great results. Wet, dry, on the sand, on the dirt or in the water mine had been great for over 22 years. Cool Machine

 

[beachboy]

I like to stay diverse, so I will metal detect dirt and sand. I have the right Machine for the right job. The Prizm is not for the beach, well in dry sand only. Get a used water machine for the wet sand or water, and you well increase you gold finds by double, that is my feeling.
The right water machine is not cheap, but it will pay for itself. Sometimes you can get them online. Good luck!!!