Surfmaster PI?

[richm]

I'm considering buying a pretty much unused "Surfmaster PI"..... Any thoughts on this detector would be appreciated...Rich

[Sandman]

I answered this in the Beach & Shallow Water forum.

[cloviscliff]

Hi Rich: It depends on where you will hunt, salt water or fresh. If you hunt salt water thats the right machine. If you hunt fresh water it's the wrong machine. If you are hunting fresh water let me how much the PI is.

[richm]

Cloviscliff, probably mostly salt water,I live a half mile from the beach (long island sound) but I was hoping I could use it in fresh water as well. Does the PI not perform well in fresh water?? Rich.

[Sandman]

Rich, the PI works to well in fresh water is the problem. With hairpins turning to rust and lasting decades in fresh water the PI sees a larger target and reports it as a great target so you end up digging holes for junk that PI's have trouble discriminating out. Sure they can disc out bobby pins, but once they start rusting, look out.

Rings and things dropped in fresh water don't get buried with lots of sand where the PI's depth helps all that much. Here disc is the big advantage.

[rehless]

When ever I see the guys say you can't or shouldn't use a PI in fresh water, I
have to throw my two cents in. I have been hunting fresh water for thirty years,
give or take, and all I hunt there with are PI machines, tho I do have a Tiger
Shark, seldom used. I have my share of gold and silver. You will dig deep iron
and bottle caps and bobby pins, if you don't, you will leave the deep gold for
me. Exercise is good. Get after it.

[cloviscliff]

Theres more trash in fresh water lakes than in salt water because in fresh water you don't have a tide or crashing waves to carry off that trash. Cliff