New Zealand Gold Prospecting & Metal Detecting Forums Archive

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National Gold Panning Championships

simon		Posted : Sunday, 30 October 2011 8:00:51 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Registered Joined: 7/01/2011(UTC) Posts: 789 Location: Central Otago Thanks: 33 times Was thanked: 239 time(s) in 150 post(s)		i got talked into going over to cromwell for the 20th national gold panning champs. competition was strong with a lot of seasoned vets, inc. alan hamilton (author of Hammy's Gold), the Gatland family (Nomad Safaris), and the Lind family. Managed to get 4th in the Open heats with my standard plastic pan. It was interesting to see the pros in charge with the new flat pan. a shame it costs A$280. after watching it seems it is near impossible to compete against these contraptions. Lind senior took out the main prize with a classic metal pan. great to watch someone so proficient in panning, and even better to see someone able to compete with new technology.
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diggerjoe		Posted : Sunday, 30 October 2011 8:55:33 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Nugget Groups: Registered Joined: 21/09/2011(UTC) Posts: 36 Thanks: 24 times Was thanked: 23 time(s) in 15 post(s)		Hi Simon, What was the name of the new flat pan the pros were using. It must be bloody good for that price!

gavin		Posted : Sunday, 30 October 2011 9:19:45 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Administrators, Registered Joined: 20/02/2010(UTC) Posts: 1,326 Location: Christchurch Thanks: 736 times Was thanked: 535 time(s) in 287 post(s)		Sounds like you did well Simon! Curious about these pans you mention though!? Can you flick us all a link?
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simon		Posted : Sunday, 30 October 2011 9:48:28 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Registered Joined: 7/01/2011(UTC) Posts: 789 Location: Central Otago Thanks: 33 times Was thanked: 239 time(s) in 150 post(s)		google superchamp gold pan. it's a swedish site but has a english translation link on it. doesn't really tell you anything though. i always have doubts on any new versions of mining gear especially pans and sluices. i bit like trying to reinvent the wheel. if you're doing competition panning i think they are the way to go if you are at all serious. they use a totally different technique. i had a go with one. they are a lot wider than the standard pan but nearly dead flat with heaps of sharp ridges. i don't know if i would invest so much if i was simply panning down at the river. i'm not sure they would handle a large load like a big metal pan would. that said they would pan up quicker for sure, just need to keep loading up from your bucket more often. one guy at the champs still managed to do just as well if not better with a old metal pan but i think he was probably the one in a million exception.
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diggerjoe		Posted : Sunday, 30 October 2011 11:51:09 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Nugget Groups: Registered Joined: 21/09/2011(UTC) Posts: 36 Thanks: 24 times Was thanked: 23 time(s) in 15 post(s)		Could'nt sleep, so I went on YouTube and typed in world gold panning championships 2011. The 4th video down shows the men's final with those big flat gold saucers!

creamer		Posted : Monday, 31 October 2011 8:08:59 AM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Medals: Groups: Registered Joined: 19/06/2011(UTC) Posts: 2,022 Location: Bay of Islands Thanks: 2289 times Was thanked: 525 time(s) in 391 post(s)		Back in the day, the chinese could do a full pan in 21 seconds. They held compititions and would get down to fines in around 11 seconds. Shane
		Garrett Ace 350 Xpointer www.nzfossickers.co.nz
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Lammerlaw		Posted : Monday, 31 October 2011 10:46:25 AM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Registered Joined: 24/05/2011(UTC) Posts: 1,721 Thanks: 72 times Was thanked: 579 time(s) in 396 post(s)		I hosted a bloke from Belgium on my place and he had one of those flat pans and told me that all world champion panners used them - it was an eye opener for one such as myself who got lost thirty years ago. He was very proficient with it and right there and then I decided to get one if one came my way. As it is I use the old metal ones - a large one for purpose panning and one of the small ones for long distance hauls in my pack for cleaning the days take or mere prospects or cleaning out small handfuls of dirt to seperate a detector find.

simon		Posted : Monday, 31 October 2011 12:55:47 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Registered Joined: 7/01/2011(UTC) Posts: 789 Location: Central Otago Thanks: 33 times Was thanked: 239 time(s) in 150 post(s)		yeah, they are great pans. if you were entering and gold pan champs you would be scratching to be able to compete without one, from what i have seen. i am looking at getting 6 of these pans off ken who makes them. the plastic is very tough, so sharp are the ridges they can probably cut you if you tried. i am looking at getting 6 for a start. based on this i can get them for NZ$160 each. freight is about NZ$155 for the six. at least 2 are taken of the 6 already. i will check on the others but there may be one or 2 available at this price. i'm not making anything on it. i heard they were A$280 in australia. so not a bad price. i know they aren't cheap but once you see them in action its well worth it. if you want one i can sort it out. we can split the freight so all up should be about $200 (inc freight from me to you). not sure how long it would take. i understand there are a few of the batch left in sweden then they will get some more made when they can.
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LKJH52094		Posted : Wednesday, 2 November 2011 4:18:44 AM(UTC)
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mark40		Posted : Thursday, 3 November 2011 6:20:09 PM(UTC)
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