2nd detector help

[thorny196]

I have been thinking about a second water detector maybe something with light id like Whites Beachhunter 300 ID or a tesoro tiger shark (there not available right now) but I was wondering what others though on the subject. I don't want to spend over $1000.00 and I'm still a little leary about minelab excel II been hearing of too many problems. Presently I have a sand shark and everyone wants to use it and I'm getting frustrated watching others swinqing it .. so anyone have a good make model that you think will be fun to swing? Thanks Mike

 

[GuerillaBill]

Mike,

About a year ago I was in the same position. Wanted a 2nd water detector for friends and guests that visited.

At the time I was using an Excalibur II.

Based on the advice here, I bought at Whites Beachhunter 300 ID, and am glad I did.

As soon as I got the Whites, I belt mounted the control head, and headed out to the beach to test it out.

I live across the street from the beach, and am usually out there 5 days a week with my detector, so didn't expect to find much since I'd been scouring the beach each day with the excalibur.

But first day, I find a ring and a dive knife - following the same path I'd been using the excal on.

After using it a few times, the Beachhunter 300 became my primary detector, and the excalibur was stored in the closet until friends visited.

The excalibur is a good machine, but the Whites is a lot easier to use, and with the 12" coil seems to cover more ground.

And unlike the excalibur, it isn't continually nulling and falsing and requiring constant adjustments.

With the Beachhunter 300, you hunt in all metal mode, then when you get a tone, switch to discriminate, and if the if the blue or yellow lights come on, you dig and will usually have something of interest.

If you get an orange light or the tone nulls, it usually means you've found iron or a bobby pin.

Bill

 

[scrooge]

I don't have the newer Whites PI but for the past 20 years I used a Whites PI machine that is still working and just passed on to my son. I also have a whites Surfmaster II that is 17 years old and still kicking. You can't go wrong with a Whites product....

 

[Sandman]

I have the older Excal I that I haven't had the troubles the guys with the newer Excal II's have had. Every company has it's lemon detectors once in awhile. I mainly use my Excal or my CZ-20 or Tiger Shark in the water. I used to use the Whites Surf Pro PI, but got tired to dig all the deep hole for bobby pins. The Sand Shark is much better and so is the Infinium LS, but then the price goes up with the Infinium. For just beach hunting without the water wading, the Sov GT is fantastic and doesn't seem to have the troubles of the Excal II. Plus you can change coils yourself to the WOT coil.

 

[mlayers]

My first water detector was the Whites Surfmaster I wanted a 2nd detector soI got the Viper Then I saw a good deal on the Whites Surfmaster II so I bought that one also. So I have 3 water detectors and when I go out I usually take 2 of them and on occations I take all 3. Just to see if one miss something while I was out. So far I been happy with all my detectors.....Matt

 

[thorny196]

Well I did it I bought the Whites BHID 300 I won't have it for the weekend but I'm excited about trying it out. so next week I'll post a report, It will have allot to live up to as my Sand Shark is the Bomb!! but I will use the Whites and let the newbies use the Sand Shark as it is soooooooooo easy to use!!!

 

[GuerillaBill]

Congratulations on your purchase of the Whites Beachhunter!

Here are a few tips:

1. Hunt in all metal mode
2. When you get a tone, switch to discriminate mode
3. If there is still a tone in discriminate mode, dig the target

I've been getting 50+ hours on a set of alkaline batteries. I buy them at CVS when they go on sale.

I belt mounted the control head, using a $6 web belt from Lowes (also Sears and Home Depot). Belt mounting takes the weight off the shaft and makes it easier to swing the 12" coil for hours at a time.

The belt is also wide and strong enough to hold your finds pouch and a bottle of water.

Good luck!

Bill