Re: [GZG] Slightly OT - Hypothetical weapon question

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lo--
 
I'm not a military expert, but I've done a little sailing and know just
enough about fiberglass boats to be dangerous. :-)
 
The original message has been snipped, excepting what I'll actually
address:
 
Detonation. Maybe depends on the fuse type in the warhead? I don't know
much about RPGs. A sailboat of significant size has a fairly thick hull
of laid up fiberglass, and perhaps a balsa core into the bargain. It has
to be seaworthy, after all, and we're not talking about capital ship AP
shells failing to detonate against the plating of a jeep carrier,
leading to a through-and-through with no detonation.
 
I would say there's a fair chance of detonation, with catastrophic local
delamination of the hull material. Fother it quick or blub blub blub
goes your boat.
 
Hitting a moving boat: As Bill points out, getting a hit would be a
sporting challenge. Still, if you're in the sailboat and you don't have
a means of deterring the guy with the RPG, would you take the chance he
had more than one RPG and might roll the golden BB on his next try?
Some might (and it might even be prudent to do so), but I'd hardly
blame you for heaving to under the circumstances.
 
For what it's worth.
 
Best,
Ken

--- On Sun, 10/19/08, Bill Brush <bbrush@gmail.com> wrote:

Would an RPG warhead detonate against a fiberglass boat?  I'm unclear
on the necessary impact needed to detonate one, but I wonder at
whether or not a warhead designed for impact vs armor would even
notice a plastic boat hull on it's way through.

Assuming the warhead detonated, what would be the probable effect of
the blast?  Small hole?  Big hole?  What would be the difference if it
was a steel hull boat?

(snip)
Could you even hit a moving boat, from a second moving boat, under
open sea rollers?  They're a comparatively low-velocity weapon with a
limited range.	I think it would be exceptionally difficult to get a
solid hit that was anything other than luck, unless the firer was very
well trained (unlike most pirates/terrorists.)	I mean the analog
would be firing at a moving vehicle, from a moving vehicle while going
over small hills.