salt water advise

mjb Mike

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Feb 10, 2021
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southern mayland
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Hi my name is mike new here been detecting for about 4 or 5 years looking to up grade and buy a detector I can use in salt water.was looking at the Garrett at pro but from what I read on here not the best choice for salt water.Do you have any recommendations for a good detector for salt water.mainly going to be in the surf.looking in the price range 600 to 1000.00.thank for any advice.
 

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Yeah, a lot of good feedback. If you don't plan on getting in the water, the Tarsacci, Equinox and Vanquish machines would be good. But if you plan on getting in the water, I'd probably opt for a machine that can be submerged like an Excalibur or the Sea Hunter. I'm sure there are a few others I've missed, and cost will be a major factor, but whatever you decide, good luck and happy hunting!
 

well decided on an equinox 600 got it in the mail this weekend took a little while to get use to but it worked grate after a little while I found an 1881 Indian head penny and a silver ring along with some other coins and many bottle caps very easy to use thanks for all the help.
 

An excellent machine for salt water is the Fisher 1280X It was my most productive machine until it failed
 

An excellent machine for salt water is the Fisher 1280X It was my most productive machine until it failed

Maybe 20-30 years ago. There's much better machines now......even by Fisher.
 

I LOVE my Whites Surf PI! Unfortunately, the Whites factory has closed. You might be able still to find them new across the web. I just today ordered the Minelab Equinox 800 to try out. My PI is heading to the shop for some minor repairs due to my storage incompetency
 

Nice recoveries well done
 

Easiest and all around best for the money salt water machine is the Equinox 800. At least while it is under warranty (3 yrs). My back up is a CTX 3030 and my back up back up is the Excal II. When my 800 drowned recently, my first instinct was to call my dealer and immediately order another 800 (until I found it was still under warranty).
 

I have an Nox 800 and Whites Surf PI. I am still learning the Nox and find it to be awesome but still back with old habits and use the PI in the surf, digging all metal. there are still a few for sale out and about. After 9 years of use, mine is on its way back from Centreville from getting some needed TLC.
 

I've come to realize that there are two entirely different types of detectorist, those who want to cover an area efficiently in the horizontal plane, and those who want to cover an area efficiently in the vertical plane. Most detectorist fall into the horizontal category, the vertical being too slow and/or requiring a lot of additional laboring. Rarely is a multi-frequency machine capable of doing both.
 

I use a Fisher CZ6a. Water resistant. No external speaker , O rings on coil connection , O ring on battery compartment , supposedly O rings on faceplate mounting. Don't dunk it but I've had splash and rain .It also has a salt/normal switch. I've heard it's the same PC board as the cz20/21 in salt mode. All I know is I can hit a quarter 10/12 inches (3 scoops w/10in deep scoop) in the ankle deep surf here in So Cal.
The CZ6a is no longer made but they still make the cz3. Not water resistant but still has the salt/normal switch. It should work great on dry and up to shin deep.
 

For beach hunting very few will NOT recommend the Nox. Why .... because you can get a 600 CHEAP with a 3 year warranty. Buy say an Xcal..... 1 year warranty and most end up modifying it to the price tag of about $2000. Your choices are limited IMO.... CZ, Nox, MDT, CTX or Xcal. Check the warranty and prices on them.... ugh right? Some have had issues with the Nox in salt water.... but who cares.... that 3 year warranty covers it and ive got a pay check that says you pay for it in finds every one of those 3 years you have it. Its as multi use as it gets.... and it uses the same freqs as the more expensive 800 in multi. For the price ...you cant beat it if you intend in doing other types of hunting as well or traveling with it.
 

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