"Jack Rye" wrote
two pairs of binoculars 20x60 . . . night vision 5x
magnification with an illuminator

Although two pairs is a good idea (breakage), 20x magnification would
be useless on a boat. A pair of lightweight 8x25s for daylight bouy
reading, guests, etc., and a pair of good 7x50s for dawn dusk action.
They're not gonna work when it's dark, though.

No need for magnification on the NV device; it's a shape detection
tool. And the illuminator also isn't needed when boating, in that a
"million candlepower" searchlight serves better. NV is for loom
detection, shoreline observation, etc., distant viewing applications.

Neither does what radar does: penetrate fog, snow and rain. But then
radar requires a trained (according to the Coast Guard) operator on
station and good reflectance on the observed vessel, a step away from
directly "looking" at something using binos or NV. Surely doing your
part by hoisting a good reflector (inexpensive too) is proper
seamanship.