Garrett Sea Hunter Mark II Info Needed

[bigscoop]

Ok experienced users....what's the up and downs with this machine? (I'm really itching for a new toy. lol)

 

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[Mr.Excavator]

Ok experienced users....what's the up and downs with this machine? (I'm really itching for a new toy. lol)

Ok the good is it will hit hard on a bobby pin at 2ft down// bad is it will hit a bobby pin at 2ft down.

Seriously- it will find small coins and small jewelry at 2+ ft. I even put the 10x14 coil on ours they rock for depth. If there is anything metal beneath the coil within 2-3ft it will sound off. I have found plenty with mine.

Downside is discrimination does not do much. It is pretty much an on off machine.

Lucily when you are in the water targets are fewer and usually better quality, so discrimination does not matter.

I use the Excal on the beaches from soft sand to waist high water ONLY. Anything deeper I will only use the Sea Hunter.

 

[bigscoop]

Ok the good is it will hit hard on a bobby pin at 2ft down// bad is it will hit a bobby pin at 2ft down.

Seriously- it will find small coins and small jewelry at 2+ ft. I even put the 10x14 coil on ours they rock for depth. If there is anything metal beneath the coil within 2-3ft it will sound off. I have found plenty with mine.

Downside is discrimination does not do much. It is pretty much an on off machine.

Lucily when you are in the water targets are fewer and usually better quality, so discrimination does not matter.

I use the Excal on the beaches from soft sand to waist high water ONLY. Anything deeper I will only use the Sea Hunter.

Thanks for that info!

 

[Diver_Down]

It is a fine machine like Mr. Excavator mentioned. When it comes to iron objects, you'll recognize a halo effect as the coil passes over. When in doubt, dig. Also, look to hip mount the control unit. Leaving it on the shaft is like swinging a cinder block. Makes for a long hunt, but your arms will be buff.

 

[bigscoop]

It is a fine machine like Mr. Excavator mentioned. When it comes to iron objects, you'll recognize a halo effect as the coil passes over. When in doubt, dig. Also, look to hip mount the control unit. Leaving it on the shaft is like swinging a cinder block. Makes for a long hunt, but your arms will be buff.

Thanks much! How's the stability? Is it chatty at all?

 

[Tom_in_CA]

It is a fine machine like Mr. Excavator mentioned. When it comes to iron objects, you'll recognize a halo effect as the coil passes over. When in doubt, dig. Also, look to hip mount the control unit. Leaving it on the shaft is like swinging a cinder block. Makes for a long hunt, but your arms will be buff.

diver-down, I've heard this claim that pulse machines like that will give a different sound for iron. You know the drill: pulse users will claim nails give a different sound or whatever. But when you press those invidividuals, they'll confess that a) this trick only works on straight nails, not bent nails, and b) nagging doubts have them going and digging a bunch "just to be sure".

I'd be skeptical of some things like odd-shaped jewelry, or elongated chains, etc... giving a "halo" or "double-beep" too. All I know is, that some of the pulse guys I've heard make this claim, leave very quickly when they encounter nail-riddled beaches after beach storm erosion .

The only exception to this I've ever seen, is a particular Fisher pulse machine (where the ground balance needs to be perpetually fiddled with), where..... in fact .... I saw a user be able to go into a nail-riddled patch, while digging little to no iron. But .... as said .... he may also have been compromising on odd-shaped signals (even though conductive).

 

[madforclad]

Like most PI machines you have to dig everything to be certain. I am not happy with the shaft set up. It has only one plastic bolt in it and it wobbles when you waggle the coil. Some people like that play...I do not. Also the depth that others have mentioned does not happen for me. I have found a bit with it, but I am looking at an Excal or CZ-21 now.

 

[Boatlode]

diver-down, I've heard this claim that pulse machines like that will give a different sound for iron. You know the drill: pulse users will claim nails give a different sound or whatever. But when you press those invidividuals, they'll confess that a) this trick only works on straight nails, not bent nails, and b) nagging doubts have them going and digging a bunch "just to be sure".

I'd be skeptical of some things like odd-shaped jewelry, or elongated chains, etc... giving a "halo" or "double-beep" too. All I know is, that some of the pulse guys I've heard make this claim, leave very quickly when they encounter nail-riddled beaches after beach storm erosion .

The only exception to this I've ever seen, is a particular Fisher pulse machine (where the ground balance needs to be perpetually fiddled with), where..... in fact .... I saw a user be able to go into a nail-riddled patch, while digging little to no iron. But .... as said .... he may also have been compromising on odd-shaped signals (even though conductive).

I am extremely confident when I have a nail or fish hook - my Sand Shark gives a very distinct double signal. I am also learning to identify iron by lifting the coil, but with much less confidence. Right now, I dig everything because the beaches I hunt are not trashy. If I was in a competitive situation after a storm, I feel like I can skip digging the nails and not miss much.

I realize this post is about the Garrett PI machine, not the Tesoro. I assume that with time the user should be able to learn the subtleties of the Garrett machine too.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

I am extremely confident when I have a nail or fish hook - my Sand Shark gives a very distinct double signal. I am also learning to identify iron by lifting the coil, but with much less confidence. Right now, I dig everything because the beaches I hunt are not trashy. If I was in a competitive situation after a storm, I feel like I can skip digging the nails and not miss much.

I realize this post is about the Garrett PI machine, not the Tesoro. I assume that with time the user should be able to learn the subtleties of the Garrett machine too.

Such are the claims I have often-time heard. But .... when we've seen conditions beneath piers or whatever, after erosion, where the nails are so thick they resemble toothpicks lying all over the ground ....... well ....... those guys are sad-fellers indeed Not sure about your Tesoro. Maybe it's different ? I just know that I've seen a lot of guys make the claim, then disappear after 20 minutes on certain beaches.

 

[Mr.Excavator]

Thanks much! How's the stability? Is it chatty at all?

The 8" coil is solid (no chatty) the 10x14 coil can be chatty in all metal mode. I put mine in discrimination mode with it turned down all the way (0). It does not make a sound till you hit metal unless you have the threshold up humming. It is way more stable than the Excal in surf ( my opinion).

The shaft is a bit wobbly since it is all plastic, but I like it that way, you can slap the coil around without damage. If you put the control unit under the handle it balances it out pretty good

 

[bigscoop]

Trash/nails......not worried about trash, nails, etc., as I'll have other machines to fall back on. This is just going to be a deep summer sand tool.

 

[Boatlode]

Such are the claims I have often-time heard. But .... when we've seen conditions beneath piers or whatever, after erosion, where the nails are so thick they resemble toothpicks lying all over the ground ....... well ....... those guys are sad-fellers indeed Not sure about your Tesoro. Maybe it's different ? I just know that I've seen a lot of guys make the claim, then disappear after 20 minutes on certain beaches.

No mods to my Sand Shark, straight off the shelf. Like I said, the beaches I hunt are not trashy. I have at times gone for hours without a hit. But everytime I get that double signal, it is a nail. On a beach like you describe that is covered with nails, I would probably miss some good targets by skipping the double signals, since there might be goodies under the nails.

Again, this thread is about the Garrett PI machine, with which I have no experience. I am assuming it would behave similar to the Sand Shark.

 

[HenryWaltonJonesJr]

I just received mine and took it out yesterday after work. I went to a beach here (Lake Michigan) well known for iron trash (actually, all trash). Really, if people knew how much rusty iron sharpness there is they wouldn't jump around in the water there much less let their kids play in it. Its everywhere!

I have an AT Pro and its fine in the water, once you get 2 or 3 ft in, but right along the wave crash it always gets a bit squirrely. I really wanted to see what I could find there. In an hour I dug 50 chunks of iron (nails, screws, sharp whatsits that look like shivs, bolts, ect ect) and 1 penny. This iron is all very old with huge concretions. However even with the disc set to max these iron chunks still sounded off (but it would ignore the ptabs I could see on the surface). I learned a lot about whats going on in the water at this particular beach. I was impressed actually believe it or not! It never falsed, if I got a hit I could find it pretty easily and noticed quickly I could get a feel for the size and depth of the target by the volume and the shape of the sound. If the threshold was much past 3 there was a lot of background noise...it could be this beach is just crazy, but what can you guys normally run it at?

I wish I could have gone in deeper water, but the water was way too cold yesterday, even colder than a week ago when it was too cold. I'm confident this is going to work for me at cleaner beaches and in the salt when I'm on vacation. Looking forward to spending more time with it!

 

[Fletch88]

I just received mine and took it out yesterday after work. I went to a beach here (Lake Michigan) well known for iron trash (actually, all trash). Really, if people knew how much rusty iron sharpness there is they wouldn't jump around in the water there much less let their kids play in it. Its everywhere! I have an AT Pro and its fine in the water, once you get 2 or 3 ft in, but right along the wave crash it always gets a bit squirrely. I really wanted to see what I could find there. In an hour I dug 50 chunks of iron (nails, screws, sharp whatsits that look like shivs, bolts, ect ect) and 1 penny. This iron is all very old with huge concretions. However even with the disc set to max these iron chunks still sounded off (but it would ignore the ptabs I could see on the surface). I learned a lot about whats going on in the water at this particular beach. I was impressed actually believe it or not! It never falsed, if I got a hit I could find it pretty easily and noticed quickly I could get a feel for the size and depth of the target by the volume and the shape of the sound. If the threshold was much past 3 there was a lot of background noise...it could be this beach is just crazy, but what can you guys normally run it at? I wish I could have gone in deeper water, but the water was way too cold yesterday, even colder than a week ago when it was too cold. I'm confident this is going to work for me at cleaner beaches and in the salt when I'm on vacation. Looking forward to spending more time with it!

Disced out pulltabs? Are you only hoping for silver? Sounds like my PI experiences. Good luck!

 

[HenryWaltonJonesJr]

Hah! I should have been more clear, I turned it all the way up for a bit just to see if it would ignore the large iron chunks. Otherwise the rest of the time I had it all the way off. I honestly don't trust the elimination so I doubt I'll be using it. I've seen videos where they put it up to 6 and eliminate ptabs, but it still sounded on a generic 14k wedding band, but, especially in clean areas I don't mind the digging. At least so far, I'll chime in again at the end of the summer!

 

[Fletch88]

Good luck with your new machine! Learning the ins and outs of new machines is half the fun of this hobby!

 

[D-TEX]

Yes it loves iron, all PI machines love iron. You buy a PI to get deeper than a VLF detector
and you should dig every beep, not all iron sounds are iron, not only with the SH, but
others as well. If the beach your hunting has to much trash to suit you, move to a
different one. Big mistake using disc. on a beach. Do your own depth testing on your
area beaches to see how deep it will pickup different objects. Every beach is different!
What's more important is the depth to the base under the sand, If your trying to find
the good stuff, you need to know if your machine can reach that level. If your trying to
find gold rings and such you need to hunt over a base no deeper than 2 1/2 feet deep.
As the 14 x 10 loop is as large as you can get for the SH, that's about the limit it will
detect a ring. And yes I have one and I also have a Minelab SD2200d with different
size coils from 5 x 7" to 18" and it can go beyond 2 1/2 ft. and find rings.

 

[Mr.Excavator]

Also forgot to mention the GreyGhost Amphibians are plug and play connector wise.

 

[HenryWaltonJonesJr]

I could see really good headphones for a machine with multiple pitch tones, I tried the standard Garrett ones with my ATP and it sounded like a broken Casio. However with a single pitch PI machine will it really add much to the wahh bwahhs?

 

[bigscoop]

I could see really good headphones for a machine with multiple pitch tones, I tried the standard Garrett ones with my ATP and it sounded like a broken Casio. However with a single pitch PI machine will it really add much to the wahh bwahhs?

That depends if you are listing for tones or very subtle threshold variations, the later can be easily lost when there's too much background noise and not even heard/audible with a poor set of speakers.