Favorite underwater metal detector for saltwater?

[Marie0424]

I am about to buy my first metal detector and am feeling overwhelmed. I was very close to making a purchase and but then held back as I got some negative feedback about the model I was considering. We will be diving in up to 90-100 ft, but more often in 60 ft or shallower. We will be taking the metal detector into various areas; sandy bottom, reef bottom, partial shipwrecks, and even searching for wrecks. PLEASE help me! Feedback is so appreciated. I am looking into the following models and there seems to be huge price jump, either you're in the $600-$700 range or the $1500 area. Budget is a priority, service and support are a concern as well...
Tesoro Sand Shark
Tesoro Tiger Shark
Fisher (I can't remember the model #)
surfmaster pi dual fuel

Any thoughts...?

Thanks in advance.

 

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[Darren in NC]

Aquascan's Aquapulse AQ1B, Garrett's Sea Hunter Mark II, and Tesoro's Sand Shark consistently surface as the favorites around here. I'm sure there are plenty of others. My favorite is the Sand Shark.

 

[Fletch88]

8" Sand Shatk

 

[Marie0424]

ok I keep hearing about the sand shark.. I saw some negative reviews but I guess someone is always going to have something negative to say. Guess I will go for that. Any recommendations on vendors?

 

[Salvor6]

Any recommendations on vendors?

Kellyco.

 

[Jolly Mon]

I am about to buy my first metal detector and am feeling overwhelmed. I was very close to making a purchase and but then held back as I got some negative feedback about the model I was considering. We will be diving in up to 90-100 ft, but more often in 60 ft or shallower. We will be taking the metal detector into various areas; sandy bottom, reef bottom, partial shipwrecks, and even searching for wrecks. PLEASE help me! Feedback is so appreciated. I am looking into the following models and there seems to be huge price jump, either you're in the $600-$700 range or the $1500 area. Budget is a priority, service and support are a concern as well...
Tesoro Sand Shark
Tesoro Tiger Shark
Fisher (I can't remember the model #)
surfmaster pi dual fuel

Any thoughts...?

Thanks in advance.

Don't even think about the Tiger Shark. It will essentially be unuseable at the saltwater depths you are describing.

The Whites DF is a great detector, but is not really designed as a workhorse diving unit. It is only rated to 100 feet and has a hard wired 12 inch coil which can sometimes be too large while diving. The DF's great strength is its very low initial pulse dealy...but this low setting will be unuseable at the depths you are looking at.

You must be refering to the Fisher CZ 21. This is a great dual frequency descriminator, but IMHO you are much better off sticking with a pulse induction detector for serious diving.

The Sand Shark is a solid performer and has a great warranty, but the coil and head phones are hard wired and it has a fixed pulse delay all of which limit the machine's versatility.

The Garrett Sea Hunter is another solid performer, but it has interchangeable coil options, removeable headphones and an adjustable pulse delay. The ability to switch from an 8 inch coil to a 14 inch coil depending on conditions is a huge plus, at least IMHO. The pulse delay control can be very handy as well.

All that being said, if you are serious and if you can afford it, buy an Aquapulse AQ1b. They are built like tanks, and are unbelievably deep on silver and other high conductors. They have a range of coil options from a "palm coil" of only a couple of inches diameter all the way to a 15 inch drift coil and two different probe options. Of course the AQ1b has an adjustable pulse delay as well. There are a few very informative Aquapulse threads on this site...just type "aquapulse" in the search box...good luck with whatever detector you choose !!

 

[Salvor6]

You can get an AQUAPULSE aQ1b for $1200 and it will last you a lifetime. You get what you pay for. The cheaper units will not go more than 12" deep. The Fisher CZ-21 will go 18" deep. The AQ1B will go 24" deep or deeper with the 16" coil. It all depends on your budget and how serious you are on finding treasure.

 

[Fletch88]

Fort Bedford has always given me good service. The CZ-21 is another well built machine for diving and is a vlf with discrimination.

 

[diverlynn]

Hi guy's. My friend from Peru (living in Washington DC at the moment) is looking for the best pro metal detector money can buy for ground detecting. What do you suggest for him?

Thanks,
Diverlynn

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Hi guy's. My friend from Peru (living in Washington DC at the moment) is looking for the best pro metal detector money can buy for ground detecting. What do you suggest for him?

Thanks,
Diverlynn

That is hard question, like asking what is best car made...

What kind of hunting is he going to do, is he looking for gold nuggets or gold jewelry as they require different detectors.

With out knowing the parameters I would say for all around general detecting and not specialized the Whites Spectra V3I or Minelabs CTX3030 would be where I start my research..

 

[diverlynn]

Thanks, will pass it along.

 

[JOe L]

Saltwater, Sand Shark.... Just to add, Fresh water I have be happy with the new DP Underwater. Have not tried it in Salt Water.

 

[diverlynn]

He is looking for something to look for old coins and buttons on battlefields.

 

[aquanut]

Kellyco didn't offer Tesoro a few years back. That may have changed. Aquapulse is the way to go.

 

[Fletch88]

He is looking for something to look for old coins and buttons on battlefields.

In that case the TDI-Pro, GPX-4800/5000 or the ATX are the most popular if he is probably hunting mid/highly mineralized soils around Virginia area.

We have 2 separate topics going here!!!

 

[gollum]

I am surprised I haven't seen anybody mention Excalibur. I have had every generation of Excalibur since my little Horseshoe Coil model from about 1997. I have dived with every one, and found them all to be superior. Excaliburs have been my "Go To" Detectors for everything Beach and Ocean related since the late 1990s. One with a 15" WOT Coil and the other with stock coil and short dive shaft (for diving).

Mike

 

[Marie0424]

Aquapulse VS Minelab excalibur? Leaning toward the latter.... Gollum, it seems the excalibur, if affordable may be the way to go when it comes to heavy use. There is definitely a difference in using it recreationally and putting it to hard use - which we plan to.
Sounds like of all these aqua pulse and excalibur may be the best picks.

 

[gollum]

Yes. Both The Aquapulse and Excalibur are well made and should give you years of work. My first Excal (Sword/Horseshoe Coil) was still going strong after ten years when I got my second Excal 1000. I don't think you will regret either one.

Mike

 

[Jolly Mon]

Aquapulse VS Minelab excalibur? Leaning toward the latter.... Gollum, it seems the excalibur, if affordable may be the way to go when it comes to heavy use. There is definitely a difference in using it recreationally and putting it to hard use - which we plan to.
Sounds like of all these aqua pulse and excalibur may be the best picks.

Whoa, Nelly !!...

Or in this case, Marie...lol...

Excals are great detectors. They can certainly have their place in a salvage operation as a secondary unit or for use in shallow water. At depth in salt water, however, their performance really starts to suffer. This is especially true when fitted with a larger coil like a WOT. The problem is that any VLF detector, even a multi-frequency VLF like the Excal, is drastically more affected by salt water mineralization than a PI detector. At 20 feet deep, coil for coil, an Aquapulse will scream at an 8 reale the Excal will never sniff. The higher the conductor, the more this is true.

As for hard use in a marine search and recovery operation, the Excal is a very problematic choice. Lets just say I am not a fan of the housing. I happen to own two Excals (including an original Gary Storm built sword) and Minelab refuses to service them, period. Some people get very lucky with extremely good care, but with hard use in a marine environment you are almost certainly going to experience problems sooner or later. Compared to an Aquapulse, the Excal is just not a robust unit. I think my original Excal has 13 "O" rings. My Aquapulse has 1 !! Imagine burning 100 bucks worth of fuel to get to a site only to find your detector won't work !!

I am not bashing the Excal. They are great machines...but if you buy one for serious, hard marine use, please, oh please buy a Sea Hunter or a Sand Shark as a back-up !! You'll almost certainly need it !!

 

[Marie0424]

Jolly Mon, what is your opinion of the Aqua pulse?