I once read about someone using a depthfinder to find treasure

[BenVA]

It seems like I read or talked to someone about using a depthfinder like you would use on a boat for treasure hunting. I was wondering if anyone knows anything about it. I have never tried it, but I was in a goodwill store and saw an old one on the shelf and it made me remember I had heard something about this at one time. I guess I am wanting to know is this just a tale or is it really possible. Thanks and HH

[rgecy]

You can use some older depth finders as SideScan Sonars or Sub Bottom Profilers. The old paper chart recoders like the Lowrance X-16 is a good model for both uses. I angled the transducer to the side off the back of my boat and it works well for a simple side scan. They can also be used as a sub bottom profiler to find shipwrecks and objects burried beneath the sand. The transducer is mounted like normal, the sensitvity is set high and the greyscale is on. I was also told you could bump up the power to 24v and this increases the depth capability. I don't know about that though, I haven't tried it.

Robert in SC

[ranger ricky]

IM assuming your refering to use in the water only correct?

[Monty]

As far as I know the depth finder or commonly called fish locator will identifiy structure or items floating in the water only. I have seen the lake patrol use it to find a a pleasure boat that sank. I have two on my bass boat that shows fish, objects floating in the water such as tree limbs and junk, the bottom shape and will sometimes show water stratum (cold and hotter layers). It works somewhat like radar or sonar with a graph showing the relative size and depth of what lies beneath the water. It will not differentiate between metals, rock, etc. JIM