Hey Sandman - Tiger Shark ?

[JoeinMemphis]

I went to Destin for a week expecting to strike it rich. Well, it didn't happen. In fact I only found .33 for the WEEK in the water with the Tiger Shark. I did an experiment the last day there, and set the machine up in "salt" GB'd it and did an air test... under water. In motion, descrimination on 2, I could only detect a dime 4" off of the coil, and in all metal fast, it wouldn't give a repeatable signal past 5". Does it loose that much depth in salt? All 6 targets came up in the first scoop, and the last day I set it to all metal got in the water waist deep, and went .7 of a mile and found only 3 cents. Depression set in, and I have been looking at Excal literature since I came back. Is this typical for the TS to loose that much depth in the salt? Is yours back from the "hatchery"? HH Joe

 

[Sandman]

Yes, mine is back and I am now wondering if UPS dropped the package in transit. The way mine came back after being erratic and not being able to ground balance makes me wonder if the excorism on my unit worked. Mine was calibrated for the 10 inch coil and when I installed the standard coil, it would not be silent in Disc. mode and kept giving ticks. I might have to live with that if I want the extra depth. But the ticks make me thing I am over a gold chain now.

I would say something is off with your TS if it is having trouble locating targets in Salt water mode like you describe. Saltmode DOES take away a lot of depth however in some locations and not others. I had the Tiger Shark as a backup detector, and now I just might need to get another Excal since I stupidly sold the 800 I used to use for diving. At least my CZ20 is still working fine.

 

[JoeinMemphis]

Sounds like the exorcism didn't take Mine was a bit more "squirrlier" with the 10.5 inch coil in Florida, the 8" was pretty darn stable unless a wave broke right over it. Mine did the same in disc, I kept getting the "iron tick" so I switched to all metal and that smoothed it out a bunch. I was running sensitivity at about 60%. I am seriously considering an Excal with probably a 10" coil, but am looking also at the Infinium. I saw a post on here a while back that compared 3 or 4 machines and the Infinium was giving the best depth, but raw depth without quality discrimination is pretty useless, unless they give trophies for the deepest dug hairpin For general beach use would you recommend the 8 or 10 inch coil for the Excal? Please keep me posted on your TS. HH Joe

 

[Sandman]

I would only recommend the 1000, or larger coil for the Excal because of the extra coverage and depth over the 800. It isn't much, but every bit helps and the larger coil isn't but a couple ounces heaver. All PI's are deeper and the Infinium LS is a great machine. However I get tired easy from digging those deep holes for a piece of wire. Where the sand moves around alot it might me a good idea to use the PI for the extra depth if you like to dig.

On the Tiger Shark, I found out why mine was acting up after I got it back. When I assembled it I used the metal bolt and nut that was originally shipped with it. When I should have used the upgraded black nylon hardware Tesoro sent me back in March. That is the bolt on the Clean Sweep Coil and it runs quiet so I used the nylon bolt, and all is now well.

 

[JoeinMemphis]

Glad to hear all is well with it!! A METAL bolt?? Mine came with something like an 8-32 nylon bolt that I re drilled the shaft, and both coils out, to accept the larger nylon Garrett bolt. It made me feel better in the surf when the current was so strong it was folding the coil up against the shaft. I have been pouring over your older posts on the Sand Shark and others, and it is seeming more and more that I will be getting the Excal 1000. The only problem is that I live in Memphis, and with nothing but fresh water around It is going to be hard to put the Tiger Shark down to learn to use the new machine

 

[dahut]

For the record, Joe, the Excal works in fresh water, too. Essentially a Sovereign in waterproof guise, it does well in the fresh water. At least a few folks I know of use it there.
By all accounts you will have more challenge getting used to the weight and balance than anything else - well, that and the tones.

 

[JoeinMemphis]

Darn, I would have to learn another machine I am still bouncing back and forth between the Excal and the Infinium. I like the idea of being able to change coils and headphones at will, but I also like the iron mask!! I need to find out what the " Iron Check "setting on the Infinium is all about. Decisions, decisions. I saw on here where someone else is having problems with another new Excal. Are they as plagued as they seem to be? Heck the only reason I am looking at another machine is 4" with the Tiger Shark in the salt is just not happening for me, granted I will only be in the salt one week a year, but I want something that WORKS!! ( I know, probably too much to ask ) HH Joe

 

[dahut]

I have one word for you Joe - CZ-20/21.

Well alright, maybe thats two...