salt water advise

mjb Mike

Hero Member
Feb 10, 2021
620
1,525
southern mayland
Primary Interest:
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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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CalReg

Hero Member
May 3, 2020
596
775
San Jose, CA
Detector(s) used
Tarsacci MDT 8000, Simplex, Equinox 600, Garrett Carrot
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
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!
 

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mjb Mike

Hero Member
Feb 10, 2021
620
1,525
southern mayland
Primary Interest:
All Treasure 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.
 

Luciano321

Jr. Member
Feb 26, 2021
26
32
Panama, Central America
Detector(s) used
Tesoro Golden Sabre
Tesoro Sand Shark.......(Out of Order)
Minelab Soveregn GT...(Out of Order too.)
Gemini II (Long ago)
Fisher 1280X (Long ago).
T. Sensor....My first device.
I tried dowsing.
I tri
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
An excellent machine for salt water is the Fisher 1280X It was my most productive machine until it failed
 

cudamark

Gold Member
Top Banner Poster
Mar 16, 2011
13,223
14,549
San Diego
🥇 Banner finds
1
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
3
Detector(s) used
XP Deus 2, Equinox 800/900, Fisher Impulse AQ, E-Trac, 3 Excal 1000's, White's TM808, VibraProbe, 15" NEL Attack, Mi6, Steath 920ix and 720i scoops, TRX, etc....
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
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.
 

BallsDeep

Sr. Member
Apr 30, 2012
369
245
Eastern Florida
Detector(s) used
Minelab Equinox 800, Whites Surf Dual Field, Garrett Carrot Pinpointer
Primary Interest:
Beach & Shallow Water Hunting
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
 

billb

Silver Member
Sep 23, 2010
4,678
10,436
New York
🥇 Banner finds
1
Detector(s) used
Excalibur2,,silver sabre
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Nice recoveries well done
 

LawrencetheMDer

Hero Member
Feb 22, 2014
984
2,396
Ohio and Florida
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
2
Detector(s) used
Minelab Manticore, Minelab CTX3030 w 11" and 17" DD coils,
Minelab Excalibur II w 10" coil, Equinox 800 (4) w 11" and 15" coils,
Troy Shadow x2 w 7" coil, Pointers; Garrett Carrot, Pro Find 35,
Primary Interest:
Beach & Shallow Water Hunting
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).
 

BallsDeep

Sr. Member
Apr 30, 2012
369
245
Eastern Florida
Detector(s) used
Minelab Equinox 800, Whites Surf Dual Field, Garrett Carrot Pinpointer
Primary Interest:
Beach & Shallow Water Hunting
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.
 

bigscoop

Gold Member
Jun 4, 2010
13,373
8,689
Wherever there be treasure!
Detector(s) used
Older blue Excal with full mods, Equinox 800.
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
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.
 

bravobob

Sr. Member
Feb 16, 2017
329
2,167
Santa Barbara,Ca
Detector(s) used
Bounty Hunter Prospector
Fisher CZ6A
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
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.
 

dewcon4414

Bronze Member
Mar 22, 2006
2,138
1,237
Gulf Coast, Fl
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
4
Detector(s) used
MDT, Nox, Blue Xcals and CTX
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
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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