I cannot comment on the 17 inch coil being tiring as I have not detected with it yet. However, I can comment on the drag of the lower shaft, having detected into the current with the 6 inch smart coil.
Essentially with a coil this small the CTX 3030 shaft resembles an enormous swizzle stick/blender.
I could barely get out of bed the next morning having hunted only three hours with it, approx 30 minutes of the time was sweeping into inflowing current. I felt worse, I would say at least 10 times worse, than I did after my first hunt (8 hours on dry and wet sand with an Excal ll with 10 inch coil mounted on the standard S Shaft (sigh).
I strongly agree with big scoop’s post about the drag issue suspecting part of the reason for the drag in the water is that the shaft is not smooth; it has a diamond pattern etched on it for gripping. Further, the smaller coil tends to jerk / stick when sweeping it across the sand on its skid plate (bottom coil cover).
I do this all the time on the X cal 1000 as I injured my shoulder surfing years ago.
The small coil really gives your shoulder a workout, having to sweep Left to Right, Right to Left approximately two to three times to cover the same area as one sweep with the standard 11 inch DD coil. I was surprised, that I was not able to sweep the small coil faster and that coil control was crucial, most likely because the coil is not over the target as long.
Don’t be surprised, when/if you see a treasure hunter wearing a harness assembly while sweeping an itty bitty coil on the CTX 3030
Not sure why they didn't consider the drag issue? Even the shaft size/design creates more drag, especially with that large coil on the end. Not quite as bad with the Excal and SEF but still quite noticeable. I don't use one "yet" but TH, Diamondr, and a few other hunters I know who routinely use the larger coils in the water swear by their harness assemblies. I plan on adding one soon.
Just curious, are you finding it easier then expected to pinpoint with the larger coil? I know I did.
