AIBU to think a Russian ship firing in home waters matters?

a) the fact they got so close to the ship
b) the fact they didn't clearly and decisively alter course
c) the fact they were communicating on the radio

In this case though, shots were not ‘across the bow’

Most yachties arent stupid enough to get that close to any ship never mind a military ship

And if they did accidentally they would alter course noticeably the moment they realised

And if they couldn't control their vessel they would make sure they were on the radio long before they got close to any ships

The ageism on this thread is pretty bad.

What evidence do people have that they are ‘dozy’ or that being pensioners means they are incompetent?

Having previously served a lengthy time in the Royal Navy the procedure the Royal Navy follows in the event of a small vessel considered threatening encroaching is to firstly hail on channel 16, then sound warning blasts on the horn, fire flares and leading onto warning shots across the bow which will get closer to the threatening vessel before finally lethal action. This looks pretty similar to what the Russian warship has done. They also had their AIS transponder turned off so are on operations and thus at a heightened level of readiness. This is a nothing incident.

What you call a feeble rowing boat is a River class offshore patrol boat. Plenty big enough for shadowing.

Good luck rowing something this size

https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/equipment/ships/river-class

Also not home waters

If you want to worry about Russian aggression (and we probably all should) then worry about their propaganda and misinformation campaigns and which of our politicians they are bank rolling and puppeteering.

I dont think your one liner really works, but if you point out the BS I will be happy to address it!

Why let facts get in the way when you can just post bullshit.

Yes it absolutely matters.

The Russians knew, of course, that the yacht was no threat to them - they were just taking the opportunity to humiliate the UK and demonstrate the impotence of the Royal Navy.

Instead of an actual warship, we had some feeble rowing boat or similar shadowing the Russian vessel. It wisely didnt intervene at the warning shots, if it had, it would have been sunk quick sharp.

So, even the Royal Navy know they are completely impotent and the Russians can dominate our home waters.

This is what happens when you neglect defence to fund a benefit-junkie nation.

The sailing yacht got too close to the Russian warship. When the warship sounded its horn five times (which meant "wtf are you doing?"), the sailing yacht changed course by just 2 degrees, not enough to be obvious to the warship. The sailing yacht should have made a very obvious change of course and radioed the warship to advise of their change of course. You don't fuck around with warships of any nationality.

I can remember listening to HMS Bulwark threatening sailing yachts that were sailing too close to her in Weymouth Bay during the 2012 Olympics.

The channel is basically a narrow motorway with massive container ships going up and down it. They can neither slow nor turn quick enough to avoid a yacht that comes near them. So if you are in the channel on a yacht, it's on you to stay well away from the big ships otherwise you get squished. Crossing the channel side to side (as you have to to go from UK to the continent) feels like playing chicken on a motorway.

Yes. I sailed an enormous amount - professionally as well as for fun, it's mind boggling they got so close in the middle of the Channel.

I'm still seeing comments elsewhere saying it's not clever or bright for a small vessel to get within maybe 500 metres of a warship belonging to anyone's navy...recent'ish history and all that.

What's the view of the yachties here?

Personally I would be happy if it was the only headline in town.

However with a Russian stooge being tipped as the next Prime Minister I realise the bind the press are in.

I thought the Reform position was that it was Britain fault for being in Russia/s way ?

After all Farage said that it was Ukraine's fault for lying under where the Russians wanted to fire their missiles.

(Posting this so Google have to work that tiny bit harder to wipe "Farage Russian Asset" from the interwebs).

It's interesting you think that. I am from a strong sailing background and everyone I know is perplexed by story told by the people on the yacht.

It wasnt in home waters.

It was drifting without its engine on in international waters.

BBC News - 'It was surreal': British couple describe having warning shots fired near them by Russian warship
www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c20yzm84r7lo

The Russian's were stupid but at least get your basic facts straight before you post crap

All's well that ends well.
The whole situation seems really funny to me now. Especially with The Telegraph stating this is Proof that the UK is weak at sea. Even if we had the strongest Navy in the world In not sure how we should have responded to such a situation. Seems a bit like overkill to declare war over effectively a foreign vessel NOT wanting to plough into one of our civilian boats.

This couple were experienced sailors!

I know! The mind boggles.