What is the best underwater detector

I am trying to find out which underwater detector would be the best for finding gold in creeks and rivers.
I would appreciate any info anyone has to offer.

G'day Showtime.

Three detectors that will do a reasonable job at finding gold underwater in rivers(although all are more or
less designed for coin/jewelry recovery) are the Tesoro Tiger Shark,the Fisher CZ 21 and the Minelab Excalibur 11.
As far as I'm concerned,there is no single best for finding gold underwater,in rivers & creeks. Simply put,the three I've stated above are all top notch discriminating VLFs, which i believe are indispensable at knocking out the numerous rubbish targets that populate current creeks and rivers today.

Cheers kon61.

hi mate thanks for the fast reply,
I was hoping the excalibur was a good machine.
cheers

White's Surf PI Dual Field.
http://whiteselectronics.com/products/metal-detectors.html#beachseries

The Garrett Infinium LS

http://www.detection.com/garrett/ls.html

Hi Showtime,
The Excalibur (spelling?) has the same innards as the Sovereign, I have used the Sovereign on the beach for several years, and it is a very good beach detector with reasonable discrimination, but as far as gold is concerned. An air test on .2g bit about 50 mm was its limit, however Minelab 3500 is only good for about twice that distance.

There is another beach detectorist in this area, he also uses the Sovereign for the beach and uses the Excalibur for under water searching for rings etc.

Ron

yep..the Excalibur is on my to get list.
Though I understand although wieghtless underwater they can be quite heavy after a while when used on dry land.

If you have no intentions of fully submersing it the soveriegn might be the go..

Scrubby are the Soveriegns coils water proof?

P.S....happy birthday mate!

By the way boys,I'm currently waiting for my new Garret A/T Pro to arrive.I've been put on back order again due to short stock supply.As soon as i get my hands on it,I'll have a full wright up report after field testing.

Cheers kon61.

Thanks for the wishes Madtuna.

Yes the Black sovereign coils are waterproof.

Ron

I have something else to add to the best underwater detector question, its a pretty obvious answer so dont be offended.

Given todays rate of detector failures, the best underwater detector is.......... the one thats still working when you re surface.

madtuna wrote:yep..the Excalibur is on my to get list.
Though I understand although wieghtless underwater they can be quite heavy after a while when used on dry land.

Hey Tuna, I've heard this said many times on forums and I'm not quite sure why people think the excalibur is so heavy, I was going to buy one before I bought the Sov GT (which is still for sale by the way), I wish I had done my own research a bit more than taking the easy way and read everyone elses comments on it.

Have a look at these interesting specs. on weights of machines taken from the minelab webite.

GPX 5000
2.4kg (5.3lbs) including 11” coil (excluding battery and accessories). Battery weight 780g (1.7lbs).

EXCALIBUR II
8" Coil 2.1kg (4.6lbs) or 10" coil 2.3kg (5.1lbs) (inc NiMH battery).

With all this great weather a water proof detector would be the go, to bad the sov isn't water proof.

Cheers

P.S. I have to work in the rain so detecting in the rain would be much more enjoyable.

Hi mate...yeah I did the same comparisons myself and thought like you do.. all I can think of is it may be the way it balances due to its design?? I mean, holding 1lb out at arms length would get tiring after an extended period of time if it isn't counterbalanced properly.

I'd love to play with one for a few hours and make up my own mind...but then I don't think it would sway me anyway as I plan to use it in the drink as well as on the beach.

Cheers!

Gday


I have had the sovereign for beach and park use and found it great for this type of thing, the standard black coil that it comes with is waterproof, it also comes with an extra long coil cable so that you can put the control box in a chest mount position keeping it well above the water, if you are not intending to go diving in the creeks then you would be ok using it like this, also I have heard that you can get waterproof bags for them, you may have to hunt the net for them though.

They are not great gold nugget detectors, not for small pieces anyway, but they do have pretty good descrimination and will run reasonably well on hot ground, better suited for relic and coin hunting old sites, I think on reasonable sized nuggets over a couple of grams you might be ok with it, and get pretty good depth.

The Excalibur I have never owned but I have also had a look at one when I bought my first sovereign, it felt heavy to me too, but I think it is more ungainly than heavy, as its made to use underwater and not really on land so its not well balanced in the way the sovereign is with the straight shaft configuration like the sd and gp detectors are.

Also depending on the depth you are thinking of using it in maybe you could use one of those small platipus coils that can be used on the gp's I believe they are a resin filled coil and waterproof, that might be something else to consider.

cheers

stayyerAU

I have been using my Sov XS (Excal is waterproof version)since the day the XS was born and it is probably the best salt beach coin machine in existance. I have used it in Donolly and Wedderburn for gold hunting and it handles mild mineralisation quite well but if you plan on using the Disc mode in the creeks and streams or anywhere else for gold hunting then forget the Disc mode because in mineralised ground it can/will give an iron tone for quite large nuggs.
Mine called an 2oz nug iron in hot ground and it is only because I was digging all sigs that I found it.
So use the All Metal mode and dig everything and if you must use the Disc mode then also dig all signals including the ones that null out and give an iron tone. Yer nuts if yer use disc in the gold fields anyway.

Since posting this I notice that the Frequency has mixed in with the price hope you can understand it.

Most detectors on a single or dual frequency.
The Minelab XS-2 operates on a multitude of frequencies simultaneously
Ranging from 1.5 to 25.5 kHz called the BBS technology
The 10 inch black BBS branded coil is claimed to be water proof to 200 mtrs.

I compiled the following some years back, the prices list is way out of date now but the operating frequencies would still be correct
Hope someone gets some benefit from it
Ron

BOUNTY HUNTER KHZ
Fast Tracker $319 6.6
Tracker IV $325 6.6
Lone star $395
Quick Draw II 425
Land Star 625
Sharp Shooter 660
Land Ranger 1165
Time Ranger 1195


FISHER GoldBug II 71khz
MINELAB
GP 3000 $5390 DVT
SD 2200V2 3999
SD 2100V2 2999
Eureka Gold 1590 6.4,20,60
E-TRAC $1695 1.5-100khs
X-TERRA 3 models 3-7.5&18.75
EXPLORER II $1925 1.5 to 100
Explorer XS 1610
QUATTRO 1.5 - 100khz
SAFARI $1395 1.5 - 100KHZ
Sovereign XS-2a PRO 1.5 - 25.5
Sovereign Elit 1280 1.5stps25.5
Musketeer Advan 580 VLF 5 KHz
Msht Advan pro 725 5
19 or 17000

WHITES M.Detector
DFX Spek 3130 3 & 15 khz
XLT Spktrm 2565 6.5
GMT Gmast Trk 2295 48
MXT 1695 14.7
XL $2000 6.5
QXT.. $14875 6.5
IDX $1395 6.5
ID $1295 6.5
III $995 6.5
II $725 6.5
Class I $575 6.5

TESORO Electronics
LoboSuperTrk 1595 17.5 khz
Eldorado $935 10 khz
Cortes $1695 10 khz

Do you mean that the search head will be underwater or that the entire detector is submersed ?

More details tom follow when above question has Been answered.

C-scope make the CS4PI which can be used on the beach.

Good morning All,
What happens if you put the head of a regular Minelab 2200 under water?

Yours tropically, Harry

By head you mean coil Harry? Depends on the coil.
The NF Advantage coils are rated as waterproof though to what depth I don't know.
The old Coiltek Platypus coils were water proof.
Most other coils designed for Minelab P.I. machines are I think water resistant only.

Odd comment JonyLeaber. Do you live in Australia? Nobody here buys C scope. The ones I tried years ago stopped working when they got wihin a foot of the ground. Only place you see C scope mentioned is on UK forums and even then some comments are not very flattering.
In fact, the one you mention, CSP41, one guy said his was so crappy he got rid of it.
Panther

showtime wrote:I am trying to find out which underwater detector would be the best for finding gold in creeks and rivers.
I would appreciate any info anyone has to offer.

Many treasure hunters have confused waterproof and underwater metal probe. When they buy waterproof pinpionter and put the top detecting stick into the water, who will happy to say YES the probe can underwater but actually is just 2-3 inch deep.


Underwater seal technology is different form on land detectors, External push-button switch, The probe must be able to withstand water pressure, so the switch will not be pressed down by water. When more than depth of 8 meters, Any connection parts will be water leakage, the entire structure radical changes.


Salt water is a killer when only some parts of the probe is made in metal such as Bolt To imprison. Is a comprehensive solution for component design and probe structure and all the underwater metal probe External parts made by non metal and ABS Plastic, so the under the salt water is not problem.


So far, the best metal detectors can detecting one coin deepest distance is less than 40cm / 15inch. We know that the bottom sea and lake is rugged, most groove deep over I meter / 3 feet,


For over 10 years hunting gold use currently metal detectors, we will find it is very difficult to searching out gold underground ( less than 2 meters deep ), how to detecting deeper is the key question face to us


Developing new model to meet market demand is our duty to sure the hunting man can find gold to rich or for fun faster and easy


The new metal probe should be

Communicates with
buzzer alarm
LED light ( green for power, red for warning )
Vibration ( switchover ON, OFF, a sound of light or mode of vibration )
9V battery 700mAh-1200mAh can support normal operation over 300 hours

25 cent Coin Detecting distance
Tip detecting > 1.2 inch ( 3.0 cm ) UP
Side detecting > 1.6 inch ( 4.0 cm ) UP

Another important thing is the probe must be small an easy to be Handling and the size is small enough to be put into the small Rock hole and Metal probe detecting stick dim. 2cm only, it can be put into any small hole and easy to put into the beach or soft ground. The probe should be very strong to force dig without fear to breaking, So only One body shell withstand under enormous pressure can meet our request. It can be put into the sand and mud does not require any digging tools and can be used as leverage which can withstand 80 kg torque from the side and the positive impact over than 200 kg form tip or back


Constant tone over the targets is also key point to easy hunting£¬ when you find the metal the probe do not move, it still can alarm and you can know the exact location of the gold.



The Metal Probe with ABS telescopic handle (1-5 meters). The probe not only detecting in deep hole but also protecting your for safety, who know what hidden dangers in the deep ditch when hunting in the wreck , we need not swim into the boat body the ABS Telescopic handle can be connected as longer as 5-8 meters.


Different specifications to meet different requirements, this is Professional Metal Probe.


Do laugh to tears to treasure hunting with big normal underwater metal detector. Please do not blind faith in the flat seabed can easy to find the gold coin, If there has one gold coin or nut which should has been pushed to the ditch by water already.


Top LED flashlight output bright distance 5-8 meters on-land and you can see clearly within 3-5 meters underwater.


video please visit www.tradesalon.com/md2012.html

showtime wrote:I am trying to find out which underwater detector would be the best for finding gold in creeks and rivers.
I would appreciate any info anyone has to offer.

AT Gold from the GMC is very good,(WP 10 foot) talk to Phil about this machine before you buy this.
The A T Pro is also very good (WP 10 foot). 2 versions available, The A T Pro "International" has better low end iron disc than A T Pro which makes it effective on small gold in and around iron trash. Once again, talk to Phil before buying.
If you want to go deeper than 10 foot then you are looking at the EXCAL, Infinium. The Tiger Shark is good as a WP VLF/ TR Disc but can be a bit noisy on hot rocks. if the ML PIs were WP they would be excellent. All other brand PIs are primarily for salt beach and scuba work and are noisy in hot rock areas and extreme iron mineralisation.

Someone mentioned the CS4PI as not being much good.
I can only comment on how my CS4Pi performed at the beach and it was bloody good for a low priced PI and the only reason I sold it was because it (the control box)is not WP and I already had the Infinium at the time.
Also It is not suited to high mineral gold field detecting.

Just an opinion

Out of all the posts that have been put up no one has mentioned the Garrett AT Gold. Submersible to 10 ft, better threshold then AT Pro, better ground balance & has the ability to spread the GB, smaller coild 5" X 8" DD & more sensitive then AT Pro. I'd put it up against and Excal any day.

Evaluate Metal Probe or pinpointer perfect or not, I suggest to give you some key points
1. Sensitivity ( detecting one coin dim. 1.5cm ): Tip detecting 3cm and side detecting 4cm UP
2. Constant tone over the target: when you find the metal the buzzer alarm without move detector
3. LED alarm + Buzzer alarm + Vibrat alarm
4. Top LED torch, Bright distance 5-8 meters
5. Underwater 15 feet UP and at least waterproof can used in rain
6. Detecting stick / probe dim. less than 2.2cm
7. good looking and elegant design
8. Easy to operate
9. convenient handle can put into small bag or pocket

Metal Probe MD2012 is your first choice

mddetector wrote:Evaluate Metal Probe or pinpointer perfect or not, I suggest to give you some key points
1. Sensitivity ( detecting one coin dim. 1.5cm ): Tip detecting 3cm and side detecting 4cm UP
2. Constant tone over the target: when you find the metal the buzzer alarm without move detector
3. LED alarm + Buzzer alarm + Vibrat alarm
4. Top LED torch, Bright distance 5-8 meters
5. Underwater 15 feet UP and at least waterproof can used in rain
6. Detecting stick / probe dim. less than 2.2cm
7. good looking and elegant design
8. Easy to operate
9. convenient handle can put into small bag or pocket

Metal Probe MD2012 is your first choice

The big question is..... how much?

Market Price USD150.00/PC