Your vote 4 Best Underwater Detector & info on prescription dive mask

[FloridaTreasureFinder]

Your vote 4 Best Underwater Detector & info on prescription dive mask

Hello, I plan to do some underwater metal detecting and was interested in your opinions as to the best detector for this would be??

Also, I am going to need to get a bifocal prescription dive mask. I can get the prescription from my eye doctor, but do any of you have any tips on getting the best mask?? etc..

Thank you,
Susan,Kelly,Tinky

 

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[Treasure_Hunter]

Re: Your vote 4 Best Underwater Detector & info on prescription dive mask

Best underwater dive machine....... Excalibur 1000

I do not know of any prescription dive masks

 

[FloridaTreasureFinder]

Re: Your vote 4 Best Underwater Detector & info on prescription dive mask

Best underwater dive machine....... Excalibur 1000

I do not know of any prescription dive masks

Thanks TH. I will note that info.

 

[paratrooper]

Re: Your vote 4 Best Underwater Detector & info on prescription dive mask

I would look for one that has some magnification .That should help .

 

[FloridaTreasureFinder]

Re: Your vote 4 Best Underwater Detector & info on prescription dive mask

Forgot to ask, how about underwater headphones too??

Thanks,
skt

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Re: Your vote 4 Best Underwater Detector & info on prescription dive mask

Excal comes with waterproof headphones, you can also buy a set of blackwidow underwater headphones. If you buy a new Excal, (I recommend used) then you will void the warranty if you modify it, if you buy used you just splice them in....

 

[Sandman]

Re: Your vote 4 Best Underwater Detector & info on prescription dive mask

The best water detector is the Excal 1000. The 1000 means the coil is 10 inches and the headphones are hard wired.

As for the mask that you will have to get at a dive shop as they have to be tried on because we all have different sized faces. They can order the lens for you according to your prescription.

 

[digum smacks]

Re: Your vote 4 Best Underwater Detector & info on prescription dive mask

well everyones wrong on this one "bar none no excal can even come close to a aquasound period". on the mask that would be a mares they make good perscription masks.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Re: Your vote 4 Best Underwater Detector & info on prescription dive mask

No doubt the Aquasound is a fantastic machine, and it will out hunt the Excal, but it does not work very well in any areas that has black sand, it can not handle the black sand. The whiter and clearer the sand the better it works. In south Florida it can't be beat, but in other areas where there is black sand the Excal will win out......

The last I heard it runs $2500, and since it is custom built it is also very expensive to have repaired.....

The Bulgarian makes fantastic finds with his...............

 

[COTTON]

Re: Your vote 4 Best Underwater Detector & info on prescription dive mask

well everyones wrong on this one "bar none no excal can even come close to a aquasound period". on the mask that would be a mares they make good perscription masks.

Ya until it breaks down LoLThen what you pay for the repair you can buy a Excall.

 

[DaChief]

Re: Your vote 4 Best Underwater Detector & info on prescription dive mask

I use the Garrett Infinium Pulse Induction. Many folks don't like the Pulse Induction machines but there is a reason that the professional treasure hunters like Mel Fisher's crews used PI machines and most current pro hunters still do.

I like it because of several things and here they are.

1. You can change the search coils on the spot just like a land detector without sending it to the factory. There are currently 6 coils avaiable for use with the Infinium.

2. You can change the headphones from land type to water type at will.

3. It is a pulse induction machine and very deep.

4. It is easily hipmounted with no problem and mounts in a pouch on the belt making swinging the coil very easy in the water because you have little resistance going against you.

5. It draws very little current which means you can hunt all day on a battery charge.

6. It is very stable in and out of water.

7. It is built in the U.S., (Made and Serviced in Texas) (Garrett has a Great Customer Service Department)

I can only speak for the Infinium but I know that there are other good ones. Most people that use the Excalibur like it also. I just like the flexibility of the changes that the user can make with the Infinium on the spot and it is a great machine. There is an Infinium Forum on the internet. If you type Infinium Forum into the Google search window you will find it.

A new Infinium will set you back about $1200.00 but if you are patient and watch Craigslist and EBAY long enough you can score a deal. I picked up my Infinium and some extra equipment, about $1400.00 total worth, for $700.00 on EBAY. That was three years ago but those types of deals are still out there.

Last bit of advice. Make a list of what you think you want in a detector. Try to think hard on that and write it down. Then start reading about water machines on the forums and you will soon find that there is one or two that meet your expectations. Then it is just a matter of making a choice. Buy a name brand and don't be afraid to spend money. You will regret buying a cheap machine.

Good Luck!

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Re: Your vote 4 Best Underwater Detector & info on prescription dive mask

I received an IM, the Aquasound is now $3000+ new....

 

[Sandman]

Re: Your vote 4 Best Underwater Detector & info on prescription dive mask

DaChief, thanks for the nice post about the Infinium, now I think I will get one. If I was still at the coast where the sand was very deep and targets were down there on the bed rock I would dig till I uncovered something. But the amount of holes I had to dig when I used the PI Pro about did me in. Way I figured it the more time I spend digging a deep hole for trash could have been better spent sweeping for the gold rings that were nearer the surface.

I do like the ability to change coils yourself, a huge plus. Also like the fact you can use land headphones or water phones which are an optional accessory and well worth the money as I fall down a lot from getting knocked silly by a rouge wave. Course now here in Michigan I don't have many of them anymore.

I almost bought a Infinium this summer but sprang for the Beach Hunter ID 300 instead. That was a mistake and Whites refunded my $$$. At least the Infinium's coils don't float like corks.

 

[rehless]

Re: Your vote 4 Best Underwater Detector & info on prescription dive mask

I started diving almost thirty years ago, got in to it because i was detecting at a lakeside park one day and saw a guy come out of the water with a detector and a gold ring. I was in the park, land detecting. Certified with out a prescription mask, altho I wore glasses. I am nw on my second prescription mask, and the optometrist who made my first one could no longer make me one. Got the prescription and went to my dive shop. You can not use just any mask and a dive tech will help you get the right mask and then send your prescription to the company to make your lenses. Expensive. After you get it, take care of it. Can not recommend a detector as I dive or snorkel fresh water and use a PI machine, with the exception of my TigerShark, which is seldom used. Good luck to you.

 

[pistolpete]

Re: Your vote 4 Best Underwater Detector & info on prescription dive mask

Check out the Aqua Pulse. It's a PI machine that the salvage guys use. Priced at about 1400.00 with the 10" coil and telescopic handle, bone phone, charger. Can use interchangeable coils, underwater headphones. Will detect small gold (1/8 oz.) over 12" and larger items to 10'. I dont know how it does in black sand or any other details but perhaps someone here can chime in

 

[FloridaTreasureFinder]

Re: Your vote 4 Best Underwater Detector & info on prescription dive mask

I started diving almost thirty years ago, got in to it because i was detecting at a lakeside park one day and saw a guy come out of the water with a detector and a gold ring. I was in the park, land detecting. Certified with out a prescription mask, altho I wore glasses. I am nw on my second prescription mask, and the optometrist who made my first one could no longer make me one. Got the prescription and went to my dive shop. You can not use just any mask and a dive tech will help you get the right mask and then send your prescription to the company to make your lenses. Expensive. After you get it, take care of it. Can not recommend a detector as I dive or snorkel fresh water and use a PI machine, with the exception of my TigerShark, which is seldom used. Good luck to you.

Thank you for the information. I was looking at some prescription dive mask websites. Some of the masks themselves are not too expensive, around $54.00 give/take. My biggest costs will be the exam and then having the special bifocal lenses made for the mask. About a year ago I checked some dive shops in my area, and they said it would run approx $200 for the prescription mask. I will definitely get a good prescription mask. It would be well worth the cost.

Also, thank you DaChief for info on Infinium, and thank you everyone for the other brands. I am learning a lot of good information here that will help me make my choice.

skt

 

[Detector Wars]

Re: Your vote 4 Best Underwater Detector & info on prescription dive mask

It's a simple decision. If there's HEAPS of junk around then get the Excal 2. If there's moderate to little junk, get the Infinium.

I have the Infinium and had the Excal 2 but sold it because there's not that much junk at my beaches. Both are great machines and you can't go wrong.