Metal Detecting for Treasure?

[Hud3]

AnotherT34C,

It's amazing how the things you drop always bounce off the boat into the water, rather than into the cockpit.

I've retrieved a few items like that with a crab net (dip-net with a long handle).

[twisty]

I do a little detecting ever now and then.

A friend owns a dredging company and last summer they dredged up some ballast stones near a spot called the gold hole which is supposedly where a pirate(i forget which) buried his treasure in the mid 1700's, several treasure hunters have dug up to 40' deep produced nothing but mud and a lot of water. Anyways they called me to come run the MD over the sludge they were depositing on a bank nearby. I was lucky enough to find a severely encrusted piece of old chain(looked like a chunk of pavement before I cleaned it up), and what we believe is a button off of a civil war officers uniform. Other than that I have found a bunch of small items including what we believe is a brass prop keyway, almost 3/4" thick and 5" long.

Its a fun hobby but I doubt I could make a living at it, I am in it more for the history.

[theonecalledtom]

Originally Posted by sv_makai

Onboard Makai we carry a garrett seahunter II. We hit almost every beach and found silver

Wow - in my browser that was the biggest forum picture posting I've ever seen!

So, once you've beachcombed, found your underwater wreck, have a chest full of pieces of eight, what do you do with it? Declare it peacefully on country exit or high tail to sell in the norte?

Seriously - what are the laws surrounding this? If you find treasue in a poor country and take it with you aren't you in some pretty amoral territory?

[Minggat]

I am told that metal detetors are not legal here in Mexico. I also heard a (only 2nd hand) story as to why that might be. It seems the story tellers neighbor ran across serious treasure while digging on his property while building his house. Apparently the Spanish captains were only sending some of the gold back to Spain, while setting aside a little something for themselves. Then they would die before getting back to it. I dunno.

The plot thickens

[CoolBreezeTx]

Originally Posted by SilentOption

I am no expert on metal detectors in general but google White or Fischer

They both have detectors that will work well on the beach. The control boxes are sealed and the coils can handle getting wet.

Right now I have a JW Fischer Pulse 8X with an extra 18 inch coil on 100 feet of cable.

The machine is good to 200 feet and the extra coil can be dropped straight down and very slowly moved along the bottom. I was trying to come up with a way to tow the big coil a little faster than very very slow but so far I haven't had any real luck.
[/
I have also been playing with some drop down and tow cameras with displays at the helm.]


I did have some luck with that recently when I dropped a small aluminum fitting from the top of the mast. It hit the boat then the dock before going in the water. I didn't know exactly where it entered the water and the water is very dirty and cold so I thought I'd try and pinpoint it before I got wet. I dropped the camera and manipulated it around until I saw the piece. When I got in the water I swam right to the part. The whole process took about 30 minutes.

In cleaner water I used the camera to look at the keel, prop and rudder. I also tried inspecting some through hulls. I put the camera on my boat hook and it worked. I could easily see how much growth was in the opening.

One camera tows very well behind the boat and can be adjusted to run just above the bottom. I have used it look for a small diver propulsion vehicle that was lost in relatively clear water.

what type of low cost and effective cameras have you found to do the job?

[Bucky205]

I do a lot of detecting both on land in water. You would never be able to make a living but it is a great hobby. Minelab, Tesoro, and Fisher al make good machines that can be used in and out of water. I live aboard and it provides entertainment and maybe someday I will discover that chest of coins.

[tennis4789]

I'm rich! Welll maybe finding 5000 more pull tabs n I'll be able to buy new 9 volt batteries!

For about $17 the kitty litter scoop did ok.

In Puerto Rico 7 seas beach only detected for a short time. & this is one of the really calm beaches. Probably leave metal detector for our air bnb host.

[ChrisJHC]

Hang around marinas when regattas are being run and you’ll make money from retrieving all the glasses, mobile phones and similar that fall overboard.