I need some binoculars for pilotage. I would appreciate recommendations from those of you who I am sure have been using the things professionally and privately for years.

I don't have a dodger or much protection on deck so they're not going to get mollycoddled.

Thanks,

Jon

more than 7x50 and you can't hold them still enough on a small boat In a sea.
Try these guys
Sirius Optics in brisbane
You get what you pay for.
with cheaper ones the lenses brown pretty quickly if exposed to UV.
Get ones with lenses caps connected to the instrument.
Having the hand bearing compass built in is pretty useful at times to track crossing vessels.
My 20 cents

I use half of an old damaged 7 X 50 binocular. The binocular had been dropped and the prisms were out of alignment so I pulled it down and made two monoculars. Actually, I have several of these I carry in my cars and scattered about the house! At sea I hold the prism section firmly against my cheek to brace and have my other hand free to hold on. You can use your other eye open to acquire the target. Don't bother with anything more powerful than a 7 x 50.

Whichever you choose, get nitrogen-filled waterproof - it will be well worth it.

Very Happy with my Steiner Navigator Pro 7 x 50. they are an auto focus which I thought would be a problem around rigging etc but I have had no problems in the last few years of full time cruising. I do put them back in the case after use.