richs,
Here is a tip that will help all VLF metal detectors work better on the beachs. Salt water does NOT effect these detectors the same way that mineralization does. However almost all beachs do have mineralization that needs to be dealt with so it is important that you ground balance your detector to the beach ground.
Salt water is a conductor just like regular metal targets. It is not a super good one compared to metal targets but it will cause your metal detector to respond. Increasing the discrimination up to just under nickels will help reduce the false signals from the salt. You might have to reduce the sensitivity a little also. My machine ran fairly smooth in the wet sand on the gulf beachs with the sensitivity at around six or seven. I would get an occasional false signal when the coil was hit with a wave. I found coins all the way down under the sand against and in the hard packed decomposing shell base. I didn't measure it but I would guess the base varied from at least 6" to 8" under the sand. All of the signals were good signals.
With the detector set like this you will miss some of the smaller gold jewelry but it will still find most rings. When you get tired of the surf line and move back to the dry sandy beach area, drop the discrimination to the Iron position and increase the sensitivity as much as you can and go for the smaller gold ear rings and stuff.
The Garrett 1350 is no better. I know had one, and I had to do the same thing with it. I have no experience with the 1500 so I can't comment on it.
HH and God Bless,
Smitty II
