Excaliber Question

[OutBack Duo]

I am in Houston all this week so I brought my NEW EXCALIBER to try it out at the beach. Boy is this thing heavy. Around home I swing a DFX and that is a considered a heavy machine. The Excaliber for some reason is very hard to handle due to the weight and balance. Does anyone else have this same problem? What do you recommend to alleviate the issue?

Any responses are appreciated.

Don

 

[OutBack Duo]

SWR, do you have any pictures of the straight rod?

 

[gravediggermax-vabeachva]

some for u

mine was belt mounted on my back for 5 years, but this season i have chest mounted it

no reason

 

[rjnail]

i oder and got the straight shaft, it helps, but after 4 hours out hunting every day, arm was wearing out in a short time being out. so i was told try the hip mount kit and i did, now it the only way i hunt with the excalibur, i added a extra strap for around my neck so its a hip mount and chest mount.

 

[camb1]

SWR, do you have any pictures of the straight rod?

I have the one like Max posted, leaning against the wall.

I have the same straight shaft. Great for traveling. Breaks in 3 pieces.

 

[OutBack Duo]

ok, where do I get the chest mount and straight rod?

 

[rjnail]

i sent you a "pm"

 

[camb1]

I bought mine at Kellycodetectors.com

Item Code #712-6280 $125.95

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

1. Ditch the S shaft.
2. Get a straight shaft.
3. Mount the controls on your body. (waist, chest, neck)
4. Use a harness.


Check Ebay and look for the Florida Straight Shaft. I like the Florida straight shaft because it is longer then the others, it allows me to reach deeper in the holes.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Straight-Balanc...ryZ14955QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Waist mount, chest mount or neck mount your controls. I use to waist mount mine, but I have found I like it better hanging from my neck as it is easier to see the controls and they are out of the way of my digging and swinging the shaft. (Thanks to Sandman)

Get a harness. I can hunt all day with my Excal with the harness. My legs will give out long before my arm does. I will average at least 5 hours on each water hunt and I have yet to have a sore arm. I lost my harness once, and didn't realize it till I got to the beach, I thought it can't make that much difference just this one time. WRONG I now carry 2 harnesses, one on my Excal and one on my Sovereign, and I never go hunting with out taking both machines.

http://www.kellycodetectors.com/accessories/lejermonharnesses.htm

With the harness you just guide it, the harness supports the shaft, you can also let go of the shaft at any time and it will hang there by your side. I use the "S" harness.

 

[gollum]

It is heavy because it is designed to be used under water, where the weight is not a problem. I use mine on beaches as well, so I waist mounted it (home made). Not very difficult.

Best,

Mike

 

[Sandman]

I tried the straight shaft and the weight was still on the arm, but now I always had to slide my arm in the arm cuff. The neck harness I use I made myself, and probably looks it, but it was free.

I took a 12 inch piece of 1 inch alum. pipe and drilled holes where the battery and control box would go. Drilled two more holes at the earphone end of the pipe for attaching a camera strap which goes around my neck. I went back to the S rod because of the arm cuff and extra weight of the straight shaft. The end of the shaft is secured to my neck strap with a bungee cord so it is always at the right distance from my hand.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

I have no problem keeping my arm in the arm cuff, but that could be because of the harness and bungie cord that is attached to the straight shaft.

I hang the controls from my neck using the waist pack, i run one side of the waist strap on the front of the control and the other on the back and it keeps the control knobs straight up.

 

[spez401]

Definitely lose the factory rod. SWR is correct about that. I'm still waiting for minelab to figure it out themselves and put the unit on a straight shaft.

You can hip mount the unit... many do that. Get the straigh shaft. I have a "travel" version that breaks down even smaller (pic is below). I think I got it from proscoops.com... I can't remember.

There is also a company called Anderson? that manufacturs an extension for the factory rod. That also helps very well on the balance. I have one on my factory rod... but i never use that setup. i'll try and get a pic of it... it runs around $20... if you want to try it out, I can send you mine.

steve

 

[Schrecky]

I just got an Excalibur and it was suspose to come with a hipmount. The hipmount was back ordered so for a temporary sling I used an inner tube for a 700C bicycle tire. I cut the tube and put it around the shaft just under the control housing and positioned it so it wasn't touching any cables. Then I put the rest of the tube over my left shoulder and under my right arm and clipped the ends together with a binder clip. It worked pretty good. My first time out I was able to swing my thing for 4 hours straight.