Chekika wrote:
Gentlemen,
You are daydreaming, dangerously, to think that you should jettison the amas in 30-35 mph winds, open ocean. In such conditions, you want the most stable platform available--that has to be the AI w/o mast. Next, if you think you are in a life-threatening situation, (of course, you have long ago put your PFD on) get on your VHF radio and, using channel 16, request help indicating your position. Hopefully, you have a SPOT or EPIRB aboard and can send a distress signal. DO NOT JETTISON YOUR AKAS AND/OR AMAS.
Finally, unless you have been out in verifiable 30 mph winds, you are in a very dubious position to discuss courses of action.
Keith
I would absolutely agree. Even if the AI turtled, I would not be chucking the safest flotation you have. They won't sink, unless a GWS bites a hole in it. But I don't much like your chances of avoiding serious water ingress into the hull itself in sustained wild seas. I was out in verified 17.5 kts yesterday. But that's a far cry from 35mph which is 30 kts.