Sailboat collides with aircraft carrier

CAPTAIN FANTASTIC said:
I collided with the aircraft carrier Enterprise in Greece in a 420 or Flying Dutchman (cant remember) dinghy while racing at the age of 12ish; as a dare. You would not be able to get close to an aircraft carrier nowadays. The American sailors were cheering!!!!
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We sailed a 25' boat under the anchor chain of Dwight D Eisenhower while she was lying in The Solent in the 80s. Similar reaction.
 
This prompted a discussion in the household about another potential aircraft carrier collision from the past which I thought was apocryphal. It made I larf.



Edit: It does appear to be an urban legend but still funny for that.
 
Bouba said:
That is a strange one. They should have all the radars in the world onboard and 2000 personnel to notice something out of the ordinary. Small boat attacks are something that they probably drill for
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She'd have had an escort too, even that close to port. I suspect that the OOW gave a Gallic shrug and said (in French) "If he want's to play chicken then bring it on".

edit: although he probably wouldn't have included the apostrophe..
 
Sandy said:
Actually, its English that is compulsory. I had a long chat with a French matelot de 2e classe (Able Seaman) whose English was 1000% better than my French.
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Fair comment: it's probably easier to surrender using English. German has such complicated grammar really. And I like France, or at least, the little I know of it, but sadly, they have never forgiven us for bailing them out in two world wars. However, generous chap that I am, one of my retirement hobbies is learning their language. I did it at school, of course. I suspect I'm at around B2 level now.
 
Povremeni pomorac said:
Fair comment: it's probably easier to surrender using English. German has such complicated grammar really. And I like France, or at least, the little I know of it, but sadly, they have never forgiven us for bailing them out in two world wars. However, generous chap that I am, one of my retirement hobbies is learning their language. I did it at school, of course. I suspect I'm at around B2 level now.
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The noun in German is Kapitulation (f) and it actually is from the French Capitulation (I make no comment here). There is a verb "kapitulieren" I think but this really refers to events and organisation rather than than a person. German has a very similar expression to the English "I give up" which is "Ich gib's auf". I suspect a formal surrender might be "Ich gebe mich auf" (lit. I give myself up) but I'm guessing there. I didn't learn German until the '70s so it was all rather academic by then.

The term "surrender" was first used in the 15th Century apparently and has Anglo-French origins so you can blame the French or the Germans if you want. Interestingly it does seem to have been coined round about the time we stopped surrendering ourselves and started persuading others to do so instead. Definition of SURRENDER
 
As I understand it, the wind was reported as '25-30 knots' with 'sea state 4', causing 'difficult conditions'. Also, it was 'predawn' so visibility was likely 'difficult' as well.

Not excusing, but an inquiry was initiated - as well it might.

'povremeni suradnik'
 
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