Best Accessory Coils for CTX 3030?

[Atlas]

Hi All

New forum member but finding lots of good info and success stories here.

I'm planning a trip to Florida in the near future and wondering about adding some accessory coils. I'll be doing a mix of 1715 fleet beach hunts and more modern drop hunts. I'll have the CTX and Excal

I think the 17" coil would be great on the 1715 treasure hunts for the depth. I won't be able to cherry pick ideal beach conditions and have to take what I get. So because of that I'm thinking that 1715 hunting in potentially sanded in conditions would be better with the deeper coil. However, with the extra depth comes weight. I'm a long time Excal user so I have a harness set up.

The 6" coil looks great for trashy water sites looking for more modern drops. Not going in the water in the lease areas - I know the regs. I'm thinking of points south of the 1715 areas where you can get into the water and hunt the first drop etc.

Tough choices and both coils would be great. I know I would get more mielage out of the 6" cause I can use on my land hunts which are most of my hunts cause I'm a minimum of 3-4 hours from the ocean. I also have Gary's book and have read his comments on these coils. Just looking for some more feedback from the field.

HH

 

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[Jason in Enid]

Both. They are the only extra coils available right now, and each has a use.

 

[hamiddetecting]

Good luck

 

[Atlas]

Thanks for the replies so far Jason and Hamid.

Called my dealer and the coils are back ordered right now. Didn't see that coming but maybe someone out there has some I'll look around or look in Fla. Got some waterproof headphones on the way.

Hey Hamid looks like your have some good machines in your photo Fisher Garrett and is that a Tesoro in the Umax middle?

 

[hamiddetecting]

Thanks for the replies so far Jason and Hamid.

Called my dealer and the coils are back ordered right now. Didn't see that coming but maybe someone out there has some I'll look around or look in Fla. Got some waterproof headphones on the way.

Hey Hamid looks like your have some good machines in your photo Fisher Garrett and is that a Tesoro in the Umax middle?

Those metal detectors, i used in the past.

 

[Atlas]

Hamid my mistake I see from your Avitar you have a nice Excal II on the long counterbalanced shaft. And your profile shows a sov GT. Those machines will find the goods for sure.

 

[Samuelljackson]

My two cents, I live here and use the same two detectors you have. Hopefully the rest if the gang here will not get too uppity about my CTX notes here. They love to debate that machine. I'm just trying to give you some practical advice for your equipment and the hunt your planning.

Coil choice:
Gary's book details the ctx a coils in a ton of detail. I have a 17" but have found you have to dial down the sensitivity a ton in the the water. Pin pointing with a 17" coil can be a bit tricky too. I basicly only use it on the beach itself. Plus the drag can be pretty intense with the ctx any kind of current in the water makes it laborious to handle. A harness ("detectors buddy " works great) would be a good investment to take the added weight off too,. Between the drag and the sensitivity drop of I prefer the stock 10" in the ocean when I use the ctx. Even then the drag can put enough stress on the lower shaft to reshape the upper portion's tear drop shape and make it round (new shaft $130).

More ctx ocean tips:
The ctx works great in the water, but I would use silicon base lube on the seal, then a strip of electrical tape around the battery to control housing joint to keep the sand out. Also I'd switch to the AA battery pack.
I've already blown up a battery After a four hour hunt in the water. And the position of the battery latches make it easy for you headphone cord to catch on one in moderate surf.

Ctx or Excal?;
If the ocean is dead calm you won't have any issues, but anything over 2ft I'd venture in only with the Excal. But in the right/calmer conditions I prefer the ctx to the Excal, I've just grown accustom to the descrimination settings, and like to use auto-sensitivity in the water, and I have better headphone on my ctx compared to my stock Excal headphones.

1715 fleet advice;
Also make sure you look up the gps coordinates of the 1715 fleets and know where you are allowed to hunt. You need to be some distance from the actual wrecks, otherwise the state will confiscate your rig and fine you. They don't always give warnings first. The area is heavily patrolled by law enforcement and the current lease holders (Florida leases the salvage rights on the wrecks) of the sites.

Current east coast detecting in Florida;
Not to be an even bigger downer, but the winds in the east coast of Florida have been blowing in, (waves have been adding sand to beaches), so your probably looking at a foot or more of overburden on most east Florida sites right now. You can still hunt it, but expect to have to work for it (only a handful of signals an hour past the initial drop into the surf). Right now the most productive days have been when you see the winds change to north or westwardly, it seems to be enough to stir up the bottom conditions, and might uncover something for you. If you have other things to do while you here, I'd plan my beach hunts around the wind/sand movements (winds blowing in from the east are bad).

 

[hamiddetecting]

Hamid my mistake I see from your Avitar you have a nice Excal II on the long counterbalanced shaft. And your profile shows a sov GT. Those machines will find the goods for sure.

I have Excalibur II and Sovereign GT

 

[Atlas]

Thanks for the great advice Mr. Jackson.

I really appreciate the tips. I especially liked the one on using the alkaline pack in the water. I already have some silicon on the seal but the additon of tape around the seam seems like a good idea.

If I got the 17" coil I would really only use it on the beach and not in the water. My idea was that with sanded in conditions the extra depth of the 17" coil would give a guy a little extra advantage. I'm always thinking on the treasure beaches that there is a good target just an inch or two below my coils range.

Thanks for the heads up on the lease sites. I have a number of books that show the locations and also have checked on some other sites like treasure beaches report blog spot etc. We stay out of the water between Sebastian and Fort Pierce Intlets as well as the area around chuck's and the Nieves site south of F.P. Inlet. If memory serves there is another site by the power plant? not sure if it comes up to the beach.

Good idea on machine selection depending on surf conditions.

It seems like beach conditions are always poor when I come for a visit. That's why we fish. Figure on some Bass action and a little back bay action maybe hook a Redfish or two

Thanks again for the advice. The whole point may be moot cause the coils are on back order at my dealer but I'll make a few calls.

HH

 

[Samuelljackson]

There's a place out if Chicago, who sells on eBay that seems to have them. Ive bought from them before, ther're legit. If you have the extra cash, I'd spring for an extra lower rod too, it will allow for quick swaps. The coil comes with the hardware to mount it (you don't need to buy a set, but it never hurts to have a back up).