My brother took my ace, I need to upgrade but would like suggestions.

[E59]

O.K., I already know people on here get mad if newbies ask "which detector should I buy?" but there is no newbie board and I'm not one anyway!
My dear brother took my ace and in my family that means if I see it again it will probably be at the local pawn shop. I really want to upgrade anyway. I only like using my detector when we go to Florida or when I can dig in woodchips and playgrounds. I can spend up to a thousand. We are heading to Sanibel Island and Pensacola in the near future and I want a detector that can go underwater. What would you guys suggest? I would also like to hear the best tools for beach hunting. I only have one week a year and I want to make it count.
Thank you and sorry if I've ticked anyone off.

 

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[Jeffro]

I don't think anyone gets ticked off, LOL, just gets old answering the same old question that CAN'T be answered, heheheh!

Go to White's, Fishers, Minelab, and Garretts sites and look at their water machines. Pick one that would suit your needs and you might even check Ebay for a used one....

Regardless, stick with the major manufacturers and you won't go wrong. Excellent warranties and outstanding customer service go a long ways after you purchase.

Sandman on this forum is a water hunter, he may have some tips as far as what works for him, and I know he's tried out a few different models, too.

 

[-Jones-]

Hey Sara,

I'm sure you'll get plenty of suggestions, tips, etc

Jeffro lends good advice

I have to put a plug in for the minelab excalibur 1000. My wife & I manage to make FL a couple times a year and each trip is dedicated to treasure hunting (beach & surf). I work the surf and the 1000 performs well.

I have fond memories of Sanibel Island. My kid was 13 at the time, we were on Bowman's Beach and he found this 10K gold wedding band in dry sand. He was using my white's classic id.

For our last trip I bought a straight shaft for my excal and it worked great. Regardless of which machine one uses, I recommend a 2 piece long handle scoop. It packs well for the trip and it works just like a shovel. One does not have to bend over so much

Here's pic of my gear prior to packin for the last trip

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

The Excal is a nice machine, I have one myself in my arsenal, but it is too heavy for land hunting for most people.

Remember detectors are a lot like golf clubs, different ones for different situations. Are you sure you will really get enough use from one that is completely waterproof? Do you dive, is that why you want one for under water?

A little advice on the ones I am familiar with that can be used on both land and water.

The Sovereign GT is fantastic on the beaches, the coil is water proof so you can hunt the shallows, but the controls are not, unless you waterproof it yourself. The Sov GT is also an excellent land machine. A good used Sovereign GT will cost you $400 to $600 used, and $800 new. I own 2, one I bought new, one used that had been waterproofed for surf hunting. $600. IMO it beats the Excal in the salt water surf, but you have to waterproof it to use it there.

My best find to date with my land Sov GT 14 K men's ring with half carrot diamond.

My latest finds with my Waterproofed Sov GT. !4k men's wedding band and 10k earring with possible diamonds (yet to test)

You could get a Whites Beach Hunter ID, it is waterproof, a good water detector, but it is also light enough to be used on land, and it is a good land machine. I had one, but I did not like the battery door design and traded it for my new Sov GT, but that had nothing to do with the performance of it. You can get a good Beach Hunter ID new for $800 and used for $350 to $500, if you look around you can get a good Minelab Excal used for $650 to $700, new is $1000-$1200.

My best find with my Beach Hunter ID I traded in for my new Sov GT. 14K cocktail ring with 1/2 carot diamonds.

If your going to hunt in the water, you need a good long handle scoop. They are not cheap, but they are worth their weight in gold when your using them in the surf. You also need a finds bag for the water, one that has zippers or velcro so when the surf turns you feet to the sky, and your head to the bottom you don't loose every thing you found.

Good luck and good hunting.

 

[X-Terra70_TreasureHunter]

Hi Sara77
You might want too consider the Minelab X-terra 70 machine
it has auto & manual ground balance, Noise cancel. The machine
can be used too hunt Coins, Jewlery, Relics, it also has a Beach Mode,
Prospecting Mode and also tracking ground balance. I've been finding
Coins and 1- 14kt gold ring so far. Also just found 2- more Walking
Liberty Half Dollars...1936 & 1943

 

[midnightmoon]

Lots of great suggestions here. Whatever you choose, you may want to be sure Brother keeps his biscuit hooks off of it!

 

[Old Dog]

AMEN to that !

Sara,
Tell your brother us guys at T-Net look out for our girls.
Keep his meet hooks to himself.

We have both tesoro and whites in our bunch and they both perform well.
My suggestion is to go out and try them out. Don't be in a hurry.
Find the one that you think will work for you and then buy.

Make the brother pay for the one he has
Or slap the fuzz off of him if he touches yours again.

LOL
Thom