Excallibur II..want to get ready for the water

[sanddrifter]

Hi,

I have been working the beach and when it warms up, I want to try in the water. From reading notes from everyone on here, I need to work on my MD first.

(Keeping them tethered to me)
It sounds like I need to get a Florida straight shaft.
I have an aluminum scooper, lightweight 6061/ 6" bucket, so how do I prepare it for water.
Do i need a knob guard?
Is there anything else I am missing?

Also, I haven't been very lucky finding gold, but determined to. So what is the least expensive, but good scale to use?

Thanks for all the help!!!

 

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[TreasurdiggrNY]

Sounds like your good to go to me. The biggest items are the machine and a decent scoop so you're all set. I know a lot of Excal users get the straight shafts to balance the machine better but I wouldn't say it's something you need right away. Here is a link for a scale I have, again, not necessary, I used to stop by the pawn shop and they would look over my finds for me and weigh them.
http://www.garagesaleusa.us/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=164
I have a pair of neoprene scuba dive boots, I wouldn't go in the water without them or something else on my feet. You'll also want some kind of a pouch for trash and treasure, the treasure section should zipper or velcro close, some guys get a big safety pin and pass that thru the pouch to clip the rings onto.

 

[steve from ohio]

Hi,

I have been working the beach and when it warms up, I want to try in the water. From reading notes from everyone on here, I need to work on my MD first.

(Keeping them tethered to me)
It sounds like I need to get a Florida straight shaft.
I have an aluminum scooper, lightweight 6061/ 6" bucket, so how do I prepare it for water.
Do i need a knob guard?
Is there anything else I am missing?

Also, I haven't been very lucky finding gold, but determined to. So what is the least expensive, but good scale to use?

Thanks for all the help!!!

FIrst. Yes tether the detector and the scoop to a belt. I use a US military surplus belt which can also be used to hold a nice pack that has a velcro closure to store finds. Make sure it is able to be closed so the stuff will not fall out. I use a very thin poly rope clipped to the detector. A very short tether for the detector so if you drop it you can pick it right up by the rope. I have the rope just short enough to drop to around my knees and not hit the ground. I use a float on my scoop at the top to allow me to find it if I drop it.

I would highly recommend either a straight shaft or a chest mount. The chest mount can cause problems if not set up right with the connections sometimes breaking. The straight shaft will make the Excalibur very easy to swing all day and no real problems with the wires.

A knob guard is not necessary until you drop the Excalibur and break a knob. Then you need it real bad. I would say if you do not have a knob guard then make sure you do not drop the detector. The short tether prevents the Excalibur from hitting the ground so that will help.

If you want to detect the low tides, then a headlamp of some type is needed to see at night as the one low tide is at night. I use a small mag light with a piece of Velcro on it and a hat with another piece of Velcro sewn on it. I like that better than the LED lights because it gives off much more light.

A good wet suit is needed as even in water that seems warm, you will get cold and not last more than just a few hours without one. Make sure you have some type of footwear also.
Some people use a set of chest waders. Keeps you dry but every once in a while a wave will hit you and go over the top. So a good waterproof top is also a good thing with a chest wader.

On your scoop, make sure it is strong and can dig fast as waves will fill your hole quickly so the faster you can dig the better.

Make sure you use plenty of plumbers grease on the battery connection. Make sure you spray off the Excalibur after you are done because that sea water can cause all kinds of problems if left on too long.

Sunglasses...polarized are best and a good hat to keep the sun off. I do not recommend using sun screen. Far better to eat lots of vegetable and that seems at least to me prevents me from getting sun burned.

Go with a positive attitude. Learning to scoop is hard at first with scooping taking a lot of scoops to learn it. Once you get the idea, it becomes easier. I like to use my foot to mark the edge of the coil where a target is. It does take practice!

 

[erikk]

DO NOT PUT PLUMBERS GREASE ON BATTERY CONNECTIONS

 

[Diver_Down]

Do not use the mag light on the beach at night. There are paid county employees who enforce the beach lighting ordinance during Sea Turtle season. Tara Dodson is the Habitat Conservation Coordinator for St. Johns county. She can fill you in on the specifics of the beach lighting ordinance.

Also, do not wear chest waders. You will die if you are hunting the water at Vilano or South Ponte Vedra. The surf can be very violent. It makes it very difficult to hunt the water, but also, very good for jewelery to be lost.

 

[COTTON]

DO NOT PUT PLUMBERS GREASE ON BATTERY CONNECTIONS

I second that,I use Dielectric Grease

 

[COTTON]

Also if you use light at night an your in the water you will have some friends in no time(The kind with pretty white teeth )

 

[steve from ohio]

DO NOT PUT PLUMBERS GREASE ON BATTERY CONNECTIONS

Yes you are right. Not on the connections but on the area around the connections. It prevents water from getting into the connections. Keep the connections dry.

Not sure of the conductivity of the plumbers grease.....but I just did a test with a volt / ohm meter and a battery and found no difference in voltage with the contacts covered in grease. But it is best to be safe than sorry.

 

[steve from ohio]

Do not use the mag light on the beach at night. There are paid county employees who enforce the beach lighting ordinance during Sea Turtle season. Tara Dodson is the Habitat Conservation Coordinator for St. Johns county. She can fill you in on the specifics of the beach lighting ordinance.

Also, do not wear chest waders. You will die if you are hunting the water at Vilano or South Ponte Vedra. The surf can be very violent. It makes it very difficult to hunt the water, but also, very good for jewelery to be lost.

The chest wader death trap is a myth. IF that was the case, thousands of fishermen who fall into the water with chest waders would be dead right now. I've seen many guys who fish the very cold waters of rivers here in Ohio in the spring and they fall into the water all the time.....the rivers run pretty rough with currents that can keep you in the water for quite a while. Never even heard of anyone dying because they wear waders. I also see many MD'ers with chest waders in the water. I use them myself. It is nice not having to get the wetsuit off with wet clothes underneath. Stay nice and dry.

The turtle season runs from may 1st to October 1st in Florida so from now to May is OK for a mag light. I checked with the guards at the beaches and they ok'd it. And in the turtle season it is best to use a red light.

 

[Diver_Down]

Do not use the mag light on the beach at night. There are paid county employees who enforce the beach lighting ordinance during Sea Turtle season. Tara Dodson is the Habitat Conservation Coordinator for St. Johns county. She can fill you in on the specifics of the beach lighting ordinance.

Also, do not wear chest waders. You will die if you are hunting the water at Vilano or South Ponte Vedra. The surf can be very violent. It makes it very difficult to hunt the water, but also, very good for jewelery to be lost.

The chest wader death trap is a myth. IF that was the case, thousands of fishermen who fall into the water with chest waders would be dead right now. I've seen many guys who fish the very cold waters of rivers here in Ohio in the spring and they fall into the water all the time.....the rivers run pretty rough with currents that can keep you in the water for quite a while. Never even heard of anyone dying because they wear waders. I also see many MD'ers with chest waders in the water. I use them myself. It is nice not having to get the wetsuit off with wet clothes underneath. Stay nice and dry.

The turtle season runs from may 1st to October 1st in Florida so from now to May is OK for a mag light. I checked with the guards at the beaches and they ok'd it. And in the turtle season it is best to use a red light.

I was just offering up the advise specific to the area that she'll be hunting. Vacationers die every year at Vilano. The waves and current are that strong. The floaters are eventually found, but not all. Wear them if she wants to, but it is very, very bad advise for the beaches she'll be hunting.

During Sea Turtle nesting season, the red light is fine.

 

[sanddrifter]

Thank you for all the great advise. I have to say I will not detect in the water at night and probably not even on the beach. To scary for this woman.

I will have to check out a surplus site and I really like the otterbox. I need something for my phone and keys.
The belt looks nice, where did you get that?
Also I am confused about the grease on the detector. I thought with the excalibur it should be ready to go in the water

 

[digum smacks]

PLUMBERS GREASE IS THE "ONLY"GREASE YOU"SHOULD" USE ON YOUR CONNECTORS.DIELECTRIC GREASE IS GOOD TOO.ANYTHING WITH "NO"PETROLIUM. LIKE VASOLINE"FINDERZZ".USED IT ON MY INFINIUM IN 1 YEAR NO MORE SEAL LEFT