Making Low Tide Even Lower

[Overkill Overkill]

If it were possible, would there be any utility in being able to detect out in the water without the water being in the way? You ask: "What the heck kind of question is that?!" Well, as usual, I'm serious. Picture for a moment the water's edge being 1/4 mile more out to sea than it is now. Would that scenario make it any easier to hunt and find targets where the water once was due to the obstacle of water being removed? For example, maybe you could penetrate deeper?, cover more ground in less time?, not worry about bothersome marine life? etc.

If in theory there would be a benefit to removing the water, my idea is to surround myself with, say, a 5' X 5' X 5' sturdy, framed plastic 'box' that would touch the sea floor in, say, 3' or less of calm water. Then, the water inside the 'shelter' would have to be removed (perhaps with a makeshift sort of quiet, portable sump pump) and one could then beach hunt where there was once water. (I think this idea is similar to how bridge builders dig into the sea ground so they can plant the bridge supports.).

So, in theory, at least, is there any benefit to removing the shallow water that you are hunting in?
Would the hassle be worth any advantage(s)?

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

Treasure of Victoria Peak - Grab it through Amazon!

[WishfulThinker]

Well, this is sort of the bright idea, whether it works or not is strictly academic. Bear with me.

Carl over on Geotech1.com has the hamerhead Pulse Induction unit schematic. Very good base design -- with everything driven from common timing source. Scramble that unit forward to breadboard with quad 555 timers and separate (power supply) stabalized timing base and you have the beginnings of a massive power driver unit. Now instead of couple of recharagable Nicads or NI-metal hydrides use a cheap 2-stroke generator (900 watt generator from Harbor Freight or 1500 watt from Northern tools) on a beach wagon with wide flotation tires. Pulse power unit is in water (obviously in watertight box with aluminum heatsink exposed to water for cooling, for the non-technical nerds this is called cold-plate heatsinking) and coupled to shore bound body by sectioned plastic pole. Actual detector unit is worn on waist belt or on cart. You can sweep unit out into water 5 to 10 ft at a pass and leisurely stroll down beach hauling generator cart and if anyone happens to ask what you are doing you can tell them you are trolling for landmines. That should clear out the area fast. In reality, would probably make more money pulling generator attached to Hot-Dog cart on a good warm summer day. Pull over scoop arrangement would allow grabbing couple inches of sand directly below unit. Version 2 (bear in mind, all plastic) air powered sand auger or suction collar, in middle of coil lifting unit dumping everything into surface flotation ring sand scoop.
Actually, Charles Garrett book had section on shallow water hunting, and stated hunting in shallow water was treasure trove, as beach area was overworked. Bunch of postings here bear that out.
And yes, a bunch of us are aerospace nerds, who dream up stuff like this. Even better, sometime we actually build it. In the meantime, using sand scoop made from 4-inch pvc pipe and open vent cover with garage doorhandle .. not as light weight or anywhere as sturdy as other stuff on here, but, sort of next to free, from the scrap pile. Going to go all plastic and epoxy coil around mouth of scoop for pinpointer-detector function. (in work)
P.S Snap cover plastic storage containers work for experimental electronics. Use plenty of silicone sealer, and waterproof Plastic gasket sealed conduit connectors with short piece of pipe make great thru box connections .. just use plenty of sealer around wires and test in the sink first.

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

DR.ÖTEK Metal Detector, Waterproof Gold Detector, Pinpoint & Terrain Modes, Professional Metal Detector - Grab it through Amazon!

[wyobuck]

Don't think you can do that on FL beaches!

 

[Deepdiger60]

I think the moon,s orbit and its gravitational pull is all about we have to rely on that question besides with the Greenhouse warming and rising ocean levels it would be fruitless ,the only time i seen the water out a 1/4 mile was when we had steady heavy north winds for 6 days on the south shore ocean beaches of LI a wet sand detectors dream ! Dd60

 

[Monty]

Why heck, just pull the plug and drain it! Monty

 

[Surfdigger]

Special thanks to Ivan Salis, Number 9, and WishfulThinker for taking the time to send thoughtful replies! The box idea is not as important as the primary question: Aren't there more productive targets out in the water under the sand than under the sand on the beach. Is this true or not? If so, wouldn't it make sense to eliminate the main obstacle: namely, 50 degree heavy, cloudy, marine-animal containing water surrounding you for hours at a time.

Nobody responded to my question as to whether one could cover more ground in less time if the water were not there? (First, let's discuss this issue, and then we can work on, understandably, the much larger question as to how to get rid of the water. If you look at the history of metal detecting, you'll see there's been a slow migration from the land out to the water. Fast forward to 2020: we may see people trying various ways to get rid of the water in their way. For reference regarding how some great ideas are first almost always laughed away, please see Wright Brothers, NASA, Martin Luther King, Christopher Columbus - need I go on?

OOOOOOH...I see now Overkill....you have the wrong forum....I would refer you to the "Obsessive Compulsive Nutty garage inventor's Forum" This forum discusses conventional accepted tips and techniques for beach and Surf hunting with a Metal Detector...I would post a link to the afforementioned forum but I know how much you hate links.....oh well....good luck to you !!

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Don't think you can do that on FL beaches!

Yep, how long do you think that would last before local authorities outlawed detecting on the beach completely.......The point is to detect with out getting banned, not see how fast you can get metal detecting banned....You want to attract as little attention to what you are doing as possible, not be rolling a 1500 watt generator and all its noise....

 

[ivan salis]

first off --with the water gone -- you would not be "floating" --you would walking be in soft "ocean bottom" muck which would be like wading in hip deep mud , so no I do not think it would "speed things up" hunt wize --as far as depth goes --with the mineral laden salt water gone I would think there MIGHT be some slight improvement of detecting depth but not a massive increase --given all the problems of moving a 25 feet tall heavy water tight plexiglass box about ( plus once anchored into the bottom whats to prevent water from leeching up via the dirt under the bottom --unless like a cofferdam it sunk massively deep and even the it has to be "pumped" with pumps --plus how would one exit said "box" ----since you would be at the bottom of a 25 foot tall shaft --how in gods name do you get out without a crane hoist?)

all in all for hunting in up to 25 feet deep shallow water -- I think the old hookah hose long hose "forced air" system and a skin diving suit and a good water proof type detector is better in the long run than trying to "reinvent" the wheel so to speak.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

all in all for hunting in up to 25 feet deep shallow water -- I think the old hookah hose long hose sytem with a good water proof type detector is better than trying to "reinvent" the wheel so to speak.

What is funny is it is someone who has never driven a single mile, that is trying to reinvent the wheel.

 

[ivan salis]

folks are free to think -- some times its not a great ideal , but some times it is -- I never knock folks for thinking , in todays --do not think --we will think for you world -- I WANT FOLKS TO ACTULLY THINK FOR THEMSELVES A BIT FOR A CHANGE.

 

[Monty]

I'm not meaning to poke fun. I get some hairbrain idea every now and then and when I sketch it out I see how goofy it is. But once in a while something works. That's American ingenuity folks. Thank God for Tom Edison and the ilk. Monty

 

[Montauk3]

[mod]Post Removed as Unacceptable

I Have removed others in the past Thinking Members
who Post rude comments would get the hint.

I Hope This one gets Through.

Next person to make such an Unacceptable post

will get a break from TNet.

I Can't make it any clearer then this

Jeff (Jeff of Pa)[/mod]

 

[finderzzs]

The ancient Spanish used a similar device to salvage treasure. It was called a diving bell. Hung from a boat with a pocket of air in it. Works for a SHORT while. Just go scuba.