[erps]

I've used a pair of 7x50 binoculars on boats for over 20 years. Last year, I got a pair of 10X42 Stabilized Cannon binoculars for our work boat. I haven't used my Fujinon 7x50's since. The stabilized cannons allow me to read the numbers off crab pot buoys from about 100 yards away while puting around at 6 or 7 knots. If the water is smooth, I can read boat registration number from a distance doing 20 knots. If there is any chop, the cannons aren't up to the task of stabilizing while the boat is on a plain. Although they don't have the light gathering ability of the 7x50's I find that they're still excellent binoculars for use at night over non stabilized binoculars. They cost about $1000 last year. I tried a similar pair of Fujinons that were 14 power for around the same price, but I thought that high of a power might not work well on a moving platform. The cannon's eat up batteries. I carry an extra set of NiMH 2500ma rechargeables that are working well for me. I'm a cheap sob. The cannon's were a little less that twice the price of the 7x50 Fujinons that I thought were excellent binoculars. When I retire and can't use the work binoculars on my boat anymore I'm going to have to think hard about spending that kind of money on a pair of binoculars, but once you've used them, they kind of ruin you for anything less.