(salt)...wet sand / surf

Hi everyone,I have been hunting the Surfside/Garden City Beach area in SC 95% wet sand-5% ankle deep surf. I want to purchase a waterproof machine, If I may I would like to ask for your likes/dislikes pros/cons suggestions etc. on these three machines ,, Fisher cz-21, 1280x, Minelab excal. 2....also I have read that the cz-21 was at some point manufactured sub-par (possibly internal components) in comparison to the other cz's , now these post were from like 2010-2011 either way when I am interested in a product and run across something like this I tend to seek info on the matter hoping that it's simply not so or that it has been corrected by now.... Thanks Michael

If you are going deeper in the water any one of those will do. But if you are staying 95% wet sand a Sovereign is very hard to beat.

As far as I know the vast amount of problems with virtually all salt machines is due to maintenance issues. Failure to silicon grease gaskets and rinse machines after use being most common culprits. I have used CZs, BBS & FBS Minelabs as well as DetectorPro's PI and they all do the job pretty well. My personal opinion is that a far bigger factor is user skill and focus. Most PIs and Multifreq's will get the job done if the person swinging does their part. Each machine has its unique strengths and weaknesses as does each hunter. Knowing where, when and how to hunt is much more critical in this type of MDing.
In terms of machine reliability, any used unit is a crap shoot. The best protection is a new unit from a certified dealer (a wealth of them aresponsors on other forums). Next best is a used unit from same. Then someone known to you or at least with forum history of good character/reputation. I would not worry about any of the above units reliability as a manufacturing flawed unit, but any can have problems from prior owner abuse (messing with internals) or a random manufacturing glitch (it happens rarely but is possible with any machine) that manufacture would fix under warranty (or if out of warranty for a usually reasonable price). All in MHO, of course. But I have a very high opinion of my opinion.

Past(or)Tom
Using a Legend, a Deus 2, an Equinox 800, a Tarsacci MDT 8000, & a few others...
with my beloved, fading Corgi, Sadie



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/25/2014 04:20PM by Pasttom.

Tesoro Sand Shark is a mean waterproof PI machine built like a tank with a Lifetime Warranty. The SovGT is a GREAT wet sand/shallow salt water machine, you just can't submerge the control box. HH andGL

There are some great threads on here devoted to this very subject. I will see if I can search them out.

Edit:
Great thread here,
[www.dankowskidetectors.com]

Also order the Beach and Swimming hole Video. Both have AWESOME insight.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 08/25/2014 01:33AM by SilverPeter.

Depending on day to day conditions....Land CZ-Sov for wet and dry sand......In water CZ21 or Excalibur.....some ares only a PI unit will work...

All a matter of preference of the individual but either will work.....1280X is basically a freshwater unit...

Heard some pro's and con's on CZ3D's rel performance and when made but not with the CZ21....

Odd you didnt mention the CTX.... it can be an all around machine. IF you us a water machine expect and plan for repairs. Salt water is just hard on them no matter how well you maintain them. I started out on the Xcal and its one heck of a machine. Ive found that a used Blue over the Xcal II is a better choice. that 1 year warranty for most seasonal hunter isnt worth the extra money. Save it an do a repair if needed. The most common problems with the Xcal is coils, headphones, and knobs and an occassional switch or O ring. Most of us get a straight shaft and get rid of that ackward dive shaft. It helps by putting the pods behind the elbow for balance and longer sweeps. Sealed pods are a plus and make recharging simple and you avoid flooding that most machines have if you dont get the gasket right when opening them. There are other mods we are using that just make it a better machine that ML refuses to do.

The CZ is a heavy but well built box. Like the Xcal you can hip mount or chest mount, but i dont like being teathered having that cable moving around. The box just kept getting in my way out there. Simple tones and good depth.... about the same as the Xcal. Cone shaped foot print as opposed to the DD on the Xcal. I didnt like the use of 4 9dcv batteries and having to open the box.... scary every time and just not as simple as the battery pod on the Xcal.... sealed, charge and go. The CZ may be on a straight shaft.... but its a short one designed more for dirt hunting. Most of us like a wide swing for the beach. So regardless..... id swap it out. both have pretty cheap headphones. The Xcal's for what they are is pricy to have ML put another pair on.... so go with a swap out to the GGA. The CZ you have no option. About the only problem with the CZ is if you dont get that gasket on properly. The battery compartment is pretty sealed off from the main area.....so if you mess up its about $50 for that battery holder ect.

Oddly with all those repairs on the Xcal i still prefer it.