Surfmaster PI Pro vs. Nautilus DMCIIB vs other

[KingDarien]

Greetings all,
I'm looking for some advice on buying a metal detector. I am brand new to the hobby and looking to buy my first detector. I have done quite a bit of research and read through quite a number of opinions on different products to narrow down my purchase to select few items. I'd like to get some additional opinions as this is obviously a significant purchase and I want to make sure I get something I am going to be happy and productive with.

I am looking for something that can be used saltwater shoreline w/ some in water capability (maybe up to 3 feet). My goal, though not limited to, is detecting for anything washing in from deeper waters (as opposed to loose change or dropped items.) I am willing to dig deep too. The detector also needs to be able to do some land work, maybe 10-20% of the time. I really like the look of the White model units w/ the digital readouts, especially the MXT, M6, and XLT. However, I see very few reviews on their water capabilities. I also really like what I have read on the Surfmaster PI Pro, the Nautilus DMCIIB, and the Fisher CZ-20 for water capability, but I don't see much on how they perform on land.

I'd like to get one for Father's day, so any opinions are greatly appreciated. I'd like to keep the price under 800.00, so I should have a lot of options. Thanks all!

[hoser]

Hi Darien, and welcome. I don't do any water hunting with my DFX, but could in shallows. If I were to get a water/land machine, it would probably be the Beach hunter ID from Whites. Where I'm at I have no problem with salt, and the BH-ID has discrimination properties which would be a plus for land use. Good luck on your quest.

[Brian]

The XLT (one of my favourite machines) has limited wet sand performance. You can make it work but the performance will be poor. The Nautilus is one of the best of the older machines on the market. Heavy and normally thought of as a relic machine. Did not think its that good on wet sand but I think the now defunct Mac I Turbo was based on the same circuit and that was good so it might be worth asking on the Nautilus forum.
P.I.'s are great on the wet sand but no discrimination except by tricks you can learn and pick up with experience. So not good on busy land sites.
CZ20 fine in the water but rather heavy and limited for land use as its set in beach mode and the coil is hard wired on.
MXT and M6 are very good land/dry sand machines but don't match the CZ20 or Whites P.I. on my beaches. They work better on the wet than many other single frequency detectors however.
Main problem you have is that of the detectors you mention only the Whites P.I. and the CZ20 will survive a dip in the sea.

[KingDarien]

If possible, it seems like my decision is becoming MORE difficult instead of less. However, it's good to go into something with your eyes wide open, so I'm really not complaining.

Any additional opinions?

How about digital readout vs. non readout? Have you guys found the digital readouts to be accurate or is it just a fancy tool for guessing?

[jeff@middlesex]

Your going to have to choose what type of detecting your going to do most. To have a machines like a MXT or XLT and be able to hunt in 3' of water. They do not exist. land machines like those mentioned are great choices. But using a water machine on land. Especially a PI unit is going to really be tough hunting as they will pick up everything. Good depth but lots of iron and other stuff.

[Cfmct]

Welcome to the forum bskaryd....

What Brian says is right on...

You don't want to take a land machine in the water whether its got a waterproof coil or not.. all it takes is 1 wave you don't see or you slipping and you have a expensive hunk of junk... A PI is not for everyone and if you want to hunt dry/wet sand don't buy a PI.. I only use my PI in the water and usually over 3 feet... If you know where to hunt in the water trash such as iron and pulltabs rarely come into play, most of your trash will be fishing weights and such... My suggestion get yourself a land and a water detector.

A land detector used in the water will not find the deep targets and isn't meant to see thru salt.

If I was going to hunt wet/dry and water I would go with a CZ20 or BeachHunter... Or some people like the Excalibur,

I don't like digital readouts I rarely look at it with my MXT. The MXT is terrible in the wet sand. I use it in the dry but stay away from the wet.

For all around beach use the CZ, the BeachHunter or the Excal would be the way to go.

[Waterman]

Since you are both Land and a shallow water hunter (salt), maybe try a chest or hip mounted Fisher CZ3D it has all the bells & whistles but it's an analog meter. Good luck with the choice(s), you could purchase 2, one for land & one for water hunting,,H.H.:-)