Florida hunting -need new detector

[DetectorOCD]

Hey guys,
I'm from PA and the nearest beach from me is hours away. I am planning on relocating to south Florida around Cape Coral later this year. I am a coinshooter up here, but obviously I am going to be jewellery hunting along the coast. Could I get by with a Sand Shark on these beaches or is there heavy iron?

Thanks! I can't wait to start a new life in sunny Florida!

 

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[Sandman]

I have never hunted the Cape Coral area so I have no experience with Iron there. I would assume though that there isn't much iron on the beaches except in the way of hair pins which drive a Pulse crazy. The Sand Shark is a great pulse detector and very deep which is what you want where sand covers everything. If you get a Sand Shark, get the larger coil for it. If not going in the water the best unit is the Sov GT in my opinion because of the disc abilities and depth.

 

[ron lord]

Everyone here uses Excal 1000. I live 40 miles south of the cape.

 

[pat-tekker-cat]

Everyone here uses Excal 1000. I live 40 miles south of the cape.

Hey ron, always good to see you!

I use the Excall also, never tryed the sandshark over there. Tried to hunt Pine Island area, just couldn't put that fishing pole down long enough! LOL! Rough rock and coral, everwhere.
Out on Gasparillo, in front of that beach resurant,(south beach resturant, I think) I found a ring one year. But, never really hung in the Cape Coral area.
Get on down here asap, you're gonna love it!

 

[OBN]

Nice place to live but the economy there has taken a beating from what I've seen in the past few years, Several great places to detect and Naples is just down the road. Been there 6-7 times and iron was no problem, the problem was..can slaw for me. The best hunting and best finds are in the water there, I never had much luck in the dry. I would go for a water machine only, lots of hunters there, and most are seasoned Pros's..all that I seen hunting the dry were tourist.....When you get there give Ron Lord a Pm..Great guy, knows his stuff been hunting south west gulf for 30+ years, always will to share a few secrets..............

 

[Killer Angel]

Yeah, us dry beach hunters are all tourist!!!!

The advice on this thread is all good. Most use Excals in the water or Sov Gts in the wet. Another forum member is knocking it dead with a Sand Shark about 100 miles north of Cape Coral. 100 rings year to date and counting!!!! I'd say go for it, but I'm not an Sand Shark owner. Before you plunk down the cash, call around to see what the real buy price is on the Excal and a White's Dual field PI. Let the math be your guide as all have an excellent reputation.

 

[Terry Soloman]

Go with the Sand Shark, and get the 8" coil (Sorry Sandman!). It is much, much easier to handle in the surf (will not flip up as much or get as heavy in the incoming/outgoing current, and (I believe) it is a teence-bit more sensitive to the itty-bitty gold. I have the new hardwired 8", and I have been digging 18" - 22" holes to get to some of my targets, so you ain't gonna lose THAT much depth! - Terry

 

[Smudge]

Howdy.

Have done a fair amount of beach detecting myself on Central Florida beaches and there's no question they can be pretty trashy.

The Excalibur, or the Sovereign GT (if you don't plan on going into the water) offer discrimination to knock out the iron. You'll still dig trash, but no hairpins.

Of course, new those detectors cost $1000 to $1500. Not cheap, but find enough gold and they can pay for themselves in a season.

I've owned and used the Sand Shark also and its a great PI machine, though it is kind of heavy. I too prefer the 8" coil over the 10" coil because it is easier to pinpoint with the 8" and the weight feels more balanced with it, IMHO. Another good PI machine is the Detectorpro Pulse which is much lighter and has good depth, but drains batteries after about 8 hours of use.

Of course, the downside to PI detectors is the lack of any meaningful discrimination, so you will dig a lot of junk at good depths. And yes, that'll include hairpins and pieces of sparkler wire.

However, digging in the sand is much easier than digging in the dirt, so whichever detector you get, invest in a good, long handled sand scoop that has a kick plate at the bottom (very important). It will make your life much, much easier.

 

[DetectorOCD]

Thanks for all of this feedback everyone

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

A lot of small pieces of trash iron on our beaches, if you get a PI be prepared to dig a lot of trash..... Personally I would recommend an Excal, but if you do get the Sand Shark I would do like Sandman suggests and go with the larger coil, you will want the coverage....

I hunt in the water here with a 15 inch WOT coil spliced on my Excal and I can and do still swing it in the water.... Unless you want to admit a 63 year old man is able to swing a bigger coil in the water than you can...

 

[pat-tekker-cat]

Befor the cat got her "Fluffy"-(Excal), I kicked TOTAL GOLD-BUTT, with a SandShark. You get good with the sounds. I was so shocked, did well enough, I got my "Fluffy"!

John up in Ill with minelab, on my first machine(excal), did advise me, because I burn through cable,(dry-rot and split), he said to "keep it out of the sun". I almost wanted to say, Dude, this is Florida, whad'ya mean? Keep it out of the sun, you cain't keep nothing outta the sun down here! (This machine goes everywhere with me).
I'm now conptemplating, sewing her a little lightweight,(like an umbrella), cover, or something, I have no clue? I do try to be very mindful, of not letting her bake in the sun, but I always was that way before, so I'm kinda

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

You just don't leave it in a closed up car every day, that will do the most damage to it down here....

 

[pat-tekker-cat]

You just don't leave it in a closed up car every day, that will do the most damage to it down here....

Never did! Never do!
Learned that lesson 32 years ago, leaving shoes (nice shoes), in car. Baked 'em apart!
But, then what cat don't like to go shopping for new shoes!(I acutally can't STAND to hafta go shopping) hehehehehehehe
Some things you don't have to keep teaching yourself over and over and...........

 

[jyt2017]

Get yourself a minelab excal II and list it as property on home owners insurance. And, squartrade will give you 3 year warranty plus accidental damage. I got both. It finds targets so deep that I have to give up on them some times. HH. BTW...go new. -Joe

Hey guys,
I'm from PA and the nearest beach from me is hours away. I am planning on relocating to south Florida around Cape Coral later this year. I am a coinshooter up here, but obviously I am going to be jewellery hunting along the coast. Could I get by with a Sand Shark on these beaches or is there heavy iron?

Thanks! I can't wait to start a new life in sunny Florida!

 

[architecad]

Hey guys,
I'm from PA and the nearest beach from me is hours away. I am planning on relocating to south Florida around Cape Coral later this year. I am a coinshooter up here, but obviously I am going to be jewellery hunting along the coast. Could I get by with a Sand Shark on these beaches or is there heavy iron?

Thanks! I can't wait to start a new life in sunny Florida!

Detector OCD

All people I know that own a Excalibur always have problem with those machine. It could be a good machine detecting but it is too trouble maker. Try Garrett infinium, it's superior to Excalibur.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Hey guys,
I'm from PA and the nearest beach from me is hours away. I am planning on relocating to south Florida around Cape Coral later this year. I am a coinshooter up here, but obviously I am going to be jewellery hunting along the coast. Could I get by with a Sand Shark on these beaches or is there heavy iron?

Thanks! I can't wait to start a new life in sunny Florida!

Detector OCD

All people I know that own a Excalibur always have problem with those machine. It could be a good machine detecting but it is too trouble maker. Try Garrett infinium, it's superior to Excalibur.

I have owned 3 Excals, and still own 2.....DetectorOCD if your down my way, Orlando area, give me a heads up a couple weeks earlier and we can get together to do a beach hunt, I will loan you my spare Excal and you can try it first hand with out buying first.... I can't guarantee you will find gold, but I can guarantee it will be running top notch, and it has the S12 coil....

TH

 

[Keppy]

A lot of small pieces of trash iron on our beaches, if you get a PI be prepared to dig a lot of trash..... Personally I would recommend an Excal, but if you do get the Sand Shark I would do like Sandman suggests and go with the larger coil, you will want the coverage....

I hunt in the water here with a 15 inch WOT coil spliced on my Excal and I can and do still swing it in the water.... Unless you want to admit a 63 year old man is able to swing a bigger coil in the water than you can...

63 years of age ..........God TH your just a young kid..............

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

A lot of small pieces of trash iron on our beaches, if you get a PI be prepared to dig a lot of trash..... Personally I would recommend an Excal, but if you do get the Sand Shark I would do like Sandman suggests and go with the larger coil, you will want the coverage....

I hunt in the water here with a 15 inch WOT coil spliced on my Excal and I can and do still swing it in the water.... Unless you want to admit a 63 year old man is able to swing a bigger coil in the water than you can...

63 years of age ..........God TH your just a young kid..............

Keppy, well actually it is only 62 years and 7 months. 63 going on 19, refuse to grow up.....Been spending 4-5 days a week at the gym 90+ mins a day working out to try and get in the best shape possible so I hopefully will be healthy to enjoy my "middle age"...