How would you Rate the Garrett Sea Hunter Mark II?

[rgecy]

I am thinking of buying a Garrett Sea Hunter Mark II from KellyCo.? I am looking for a good underwater/beach detector in the $600 range.? My choices were the White Surf PI Pro or the Garrett Sea Hunter.? The Sea Hunter comes with more freebies from Kellyco, like the Automax precision pinpointer and the padded case.? The whites just comes with some books.

Anyhow!? I was just wandering if anyone has or had one and could rate it versus the Whites Surf PI Pro.?

Thanks,
Robert

 

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[flagold]

Here ya' go . . .

http://golddredger.com/dcforum/DCForumID5/78.html#4

A test on the Mark II in the Aug. Treasure News column.

Keep in mind these tests and depths done in working conditions -- an air test with pulse detectors means little.

I use all the detectors I can -- get paid by no mfg.

Good Luck!

Matt Mattson
http://www.treasuresites.com/news.htm? (Treasure News)

 

[richg]

I purchased a SeaHunter Mark 2 ab out a month ago but did not get to test it yet. I am heading to the beach next wednesday for 5 days so I will post a report when I get back.

 

[flagold]

Since I did that underwater test, I've done another dive using the discriminator feature.? I hesitate to post much at this point since I'll make a few more dives before publishing the test, but, if you'll take the offending targets and dial them out (pulltabs, etc.) it will still retain depth on a ring (test it with different size rings and determine if any get totally dialed out, then back down the discriminator).? It will have a softer tone on targets with the discriminator, I noticed.

If you're using this on the land or beach, I'm not sure how much you'll like it, they are really meant for scuba.? I personally believe Garrett snakebites themselves by even marketing this unit as a land or wading detector.? The headphones tend to blow your eardrums out on land, but are set just right for scuba, the detector (all pulse machines in fact) detects targets much deeper at scuba depths than on land.

Notwithstanding the above paragraph -- good luck -- you have one of the alltime great detectors used by all of the greats in salvage work at one time or another.? It still has no equal for working underwater in all the parameters -- short, light, handy, has the depth to do serious work, swappable coils, easy pinpointing by flipping the coil on its side, easy clip-on to the BC, and all for under $600.? In short -- everything you want in a scuba rig, and at a budget price.

http://www.treasuresites.com/news.htm

 

[richg]

flagold, what do you mean pinpointing by flipping it on its side?? As stated I have not used this machine yet but will test drive it next week. I am fairly new to the hobby and my other machine is a gti-1500. So I really have no experience at all with sound tones on targets. Thanks for any info.

 

[flagold]

Just flip it on it's side and use the side of the coil to pinpoint your target.? Since I'm underwater with the Scuba-mate rig, I'm not sure how you'll do that if wading with that long shaft.? Take a few junk targets and dial them out with the discriminator and test some rings at the settings it takes to prevent junk from sounding off 2 inches from the coil, and 4 inches from the coil and determine what discrimination setting you want to use if any.? The depths it will detect targets will increase dramatically once you have it in the water, all you're trying to do with this air test is figure out how much discrimiation you can dial in with a close target and still pick up a thin ring or a thick ring.? I am assuming you are using the small coil, the large coil is somewhat more insensitive in air.? If you read my SCUBA test, you'll note I started with no discrimination at all in standard mode and only went up to 2 to get rid of some pesky wires.

After awhile, you'll learn to aquire a target, flip the coil on its side and determine the size of the target, and decide if you want to dig it or not.? Be careful about not digging though.? I detected a riverbottom (SCUBA) over a period of years, always running over the same target year to year which sized perfectly as a beercan.? On my last dive in this river, I decided to go ahead and dig the beercan and it turned out to be a cache of 1909 VDB pennies -- so you never know.? They were in a glass jar a couple of feet down.

Good luck!
Matt Mattson

http://www.treasuresites.com/news.htm (treasure news -- Garrett test in Aug.)

 

[richg]

Thanks for the info, I am anxious to test the unit out. I did also get the 10 X 14 coil but I will just be using the 8" for a while. I did try to test it out on land but the thing just kept going off so I figured screw it I'll wait until I can get to the beach. Thanks for all your help. HH

 

[flagold]

Chief Haun: Re: How would you Rate the Garrett Sea Hunter Mark II?

I am having unusual email problems so will reply here and more detailed at my website if you got info there -- to answer your question on the Sea Hunter:


Use the #3 setting for discrimination, if you have the new unit, put it in #3 and discrete mode.? If you go higher, you'll risk losing thin rings with the big diamonds (ladies).? #3 affects depth on the old unit very little, on the new unit in discrete mode, none at all.

The Sea Hunter is used by the pros in non-discrimination mode as they can't afford not to visually identify all targets.? As such, it goes extremely deep (as you know) for it's small coil size and handiness.? One of the best units ever designed for full SCUBA (Fisher Impulse right up there too).

Looks like you may have paid for yours the first time out -- I did my with my original Sea Hunter (nicads).? Congrats on your finds!

Matt
http://www.treasuresites.com

 

[sumo_wres]

The Garrett Mark II has shown me allot. Easy to operate as Matt stated. The great thing about is the battery life. Hunted for approx 3 days and finally changed batteries. even though the pin pointing is some what of a headache. great thing about it is i spoke to matt and he suggested to drop it on the side. I will try that my next time out.

First day out with it for about 8 hours was 2000 Yen ($20 US) and a 22K lady's ring. second day had an adventure. Went out with a friend, we working a public beach and low and behold started getting hits right and left. First hit revealed a Silver Necklace, 5 minutes later a silver man's ring. Found an additional 3000 yen ($30 US). Weather started to get a little rough though and had to go in. Waste deep water. Must have been that Typhoon that was heading for us. My buddy ended up getting about 7000 Yen, a gold ring. A great day. He was using the Minelab underwater. I believe with a little more experience with mine and we will be hitting the same. I believe the Garrett will pay for itself in a month. I just need to get used to the tone and discrimination. Like Matt stated though don't push it to high or you will loose the rings. I had mine set on #5 on discrete mode. On standard you will get a constant sound bite, I decided to practise using the discriminate mode first. a pair of goggles may be worth you money. This way you can place your head in the water to look at the spot. This is a great machine I purchased from kellyco. Well worth the money. I own two others a White IDX Pro, and a Garrett 2500. These are great for the land but for the water there is only one that can handle it. Kevin

 

[flagold]

Glad you're enjoying it -- and it will indeed, pay for itself very quickly (if used).? Alas, like Mac users in a Microsoft world, we'll never see many of them (other than professional use) out on the beach -- it's not pretty, doesn't have a lot of knobs, and doesn't cost near enough to be a "real" detector.? All it does is one thing -- beep deep.? If you were using it underwater (SCUBA), you'd like it even more.

(found with my original Sea Hunter (nicads) -- actual size)

Matt Mattson
http://www.treasuresites.com

 

[sumo_wres]

Matt, Hopefully soon I will get to use it for scuba. I will be stationed in Okinawa allot of beaches that have not been hunted. I will have to be careful though because there may be traces of still unexploded munitions from WWII. Swimming holes are the only places I will constrate on though. get the Scuba Dive cert then I will be more on my way. Thanks for the tips. Presently i am in the navy and out to sea. I will going to okinawa in september right when the schools start so the people will be less. Have a good hunting and forward me any more pics. thanks again for the hunting advice. Kevin