Im new to beachcombing and need advice.

[Trunkman]

I'm new to beachcombing and need advice.

I'm going to be spending a lot of time in the Caribbean and would like to start metal detecting on the beaches and in shallow water. I know nothing about metal detecting, but have been dying to get into it for years. Can anyone give me advice on which metal detector would be the best choice for beach and water? Thanks!

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

Cry Of The Eagle: History And Legends Of The Cherokee Indians And Their Buried Treasure - Grab it through Amazon!

[justdon]

Hello and welcome.Iam a little to new to give advice on which md to use.But someone will let you know what might work best for you.Good luck.

 

[smalltowngirl13]

Hello and welcome to the forum!

 

[Metal Detecting Stuff]

Welcome Trunkman,

One of the best underwater machines is the Minelab Excalibur II. It does a great job finding the quality targets while eliminating the nails and bobby pins. It works well in the saltwater environments.

Wayne

www.metaldetectingstuff.com

 

[River Rat]

 

[Trunkman]

Thanks for the advice. What's your opinion of the Garrett AT Pro?

 

[SoCalBeachScanner]

Thanks for the advice. What's your opinion of the Garrett AT Pro?

Hi Trunkman ... Welcome Aboard

To avoid getting bombarded with all the people saying; use this, don't use that ... first you need to state your budget for a detector. You may want to purchase a used user friendly machine, then if you really like to MD, you can move up in equipment. Most machines you can get the coil and shaft wet, so if your not in breaking surf, you may not need a totally waterproof unit in a foot or two of water, but don't get any splashing on the control box.
If I were you, I would research user friendly machines in your budget range and read the posted feedback on the machine. Then make up your own mind on which to buy. Amazon has tons of feedback on all makes of machines.

Good Luck to you.

 

[gerryk]

If you see a machine that says water resistant coil, that means dew on grass or a light mist outside. Some machines will have a waterproof coil but as beach said the control box may not be waterproof.
Figure out how much money you can spend then look at the machines in that price range.
So,e things to consider Do you need completely waterproof as in submersible or for diving? Are you planning on doing beaches and staying away from the water?

I agree with the other poster of getting into it and seeing how you like it, then upgrading to a better machine if you want.

 

[Metal Detecting Stuff]

Thanks for the advice. What's your opinion of the Garrett AT Pro?

The Garrett At Pro is a great machine. Some beaches with black sand require the sensitivity to be turned down to reduce chatter. It's important that you do a ground balance when changing conditions (wet sand, dry sand, saltwater). I've used mine in Florida, the gulf coast and N Carolina. Adequate depth and a good value for the money.

Wayne

Www.metaldetectingstuff.com

 

[Trunkman]

Thank you !

 

[cudamark]

You asked for the "best choice for beach and water" and the AT Pro would not be it, IMO. If you have no to very little junk, it's hard to beat a good PI machine. I'd go with the White's Surf PI Dual Field for my first choice but there is nothing wrong with the other brands of PI detectors either. If you will be searching beaches with moderate to heavy amounts of iron, I'd get a Minelab Excalibur II for any depth water or wet sand, or the CTX 3030 for shallow water, wet sand, and just about any other kind of land hunting. Both the Minelabs have excellent discrimination for trashy areas and stay stable in even the most mineralized sand/soil. If you are going to do it for a living, you might also look into some of the JW Fishers and Aquapulse machines, but there again, they're a PI machine and will sound off the same on anything metal. That might be fine on a shipwreck where every target is a good one, but not so great on a trashy beach or in the surf.

 

[Trunkman]

Thanks for advice. I'll take a look at the ones you recommended.

 

[Urban Grund]

Welcome from Michigan!