CZ21 with 8 inch coil

[therover]

OK...need some advice. I have been using my CZ6a since the early 90's so I am very familiar with the CZ platform. I have been water hunting almost exclusively for the last 5-6 years on salt water beaches. I have an Excal 1000 that at this point is just too heavy for me, even hip mounted. I like the unit, but just can't swing it, even on the straight shaft. I like my BHID300 as well , but that big coil sometimes becomes a bear.

So...I have occasionally been using my 6a with the 8 inch coil on it and enjoying the ride. So, I now have the bug to get the CZ21 with the 8 inch coil. I like the simple features of the CZ and the ruggedness.

Has anyone used the older CZ20 with the 8 inch coil and then used the newer CZ21 with same coil and found any major differences in sensitivity and depth in salt water environments. I know my 6a would probably work better in the dry sand since I can turn the salt mode off and have better sensitivity to gold, but I will be using the CZ21 strictly in the wet sand, suds and water. Plus, I have lots of other dry sand machines when I want to search for the small gold jewelry.

I have a hip mount configuration that does not stress the cable connection, so I will be hip mounting the 21. I like how the 8 inch coil on the standard rod feels and operates. I do have the 10.5 coil for my 6a but after awhile, that baby also starts to stress my elbow and shoulder.

Any comments or help would be great.

Still using my Goldquest PI for most of my wet sand and suds hunting, but it's not waterproof so I can't get into the knee deep water and beyond.

Never want to toast that thing...it works too good !

Thanks,

JC

 

[cubfan64]

I don't know how helpful this will be since it doesn't directly address your questions specifically, but I thought I'd toss out my $0.02.

I have a CZ20 w/ 10" coil that I've used for the last 3-4 years now. I use it on wet sand (fresh and salt) as well as in the water (mostly waist deep in salt water) and neck deep in freshwater. I've even used it on land a few times although I have something new for that now.

I'm pretty certain that the CZ21 and CZ20 are almost identical weight wise, but I'll leave that up to someone else to confirm.

If you do a good portion of hunting waist deep and above in water, I think for the most part the bouyancy issue takes away much issue with weight, but since you mentioned weight as an issue, I imagine you still do quite a bit of wet sand and ankle deep water hunting.

I love my CZ20, although it doesn't pick up on small gold as well as the Minelab or BHID from what I've compared it to. For the price I paid for it used though, it's paid for itself many times over already.

My biggest recommendation to you is that if you go the CZ20 route, that you look into the chest mount harness. I used the waist mount and it just always felt awkward and clumsy. I chest mount mine now and use something like a towel over my shoulders and around the back of my neck with the harness over that to take away any discomfort from the straps. At first, the weight of it on my chest still got a little uncomfortable on long hunt days, so I also picked up a really nice velcro back brace from Walmart and strap that on first. I can go all day now, and with the vast majority of weight off the shaft and coil, it's like swinging a stick!

Hope this helps at least a litte.

 

[therover]

It does help. I know the feel of the 10.5 coil without the unit on the shaft as that is how I run my 6a when using the 10.5 coil. Not sure if I will pony up yet for a new CZ21 but I do like the CZ's and their simplicity. I sure wish they had made the 21 with a salt mode switch.

 

[tvr]

I have a CZ20 and have not used a CZ21. My understanding is that they are pretty much the same animals except that the CZ21 uses a different pinpoint switch and had components updated for supportability reasons. The pinpoint switch was one of the primary failure modes of the CZ20. My CZ20 has the switch removed and the hole sealed.

Both the CZ20 and CZ21 run salt mode all the time.

I like the 8 inch coil in the suds and water and am not sure I want to go bigger when there is more than almost no water movement. Bigger coil fighting water movement is more tiring.

I chest mount and it feels great in the water. If I am out of the water it does get tiring; I may have to go get back brace suggested above.
tvr