SimonFa
Well-known member
I hope for your sake this was just a random act of vandalism and not someone with a vendetta. Next time you might be on the boat and that doesn't bear thinking about.
Sick Minds - Boat Holed
- Thread starter rwoofer
- Start date
Downsman
New member
I'm hoping you'll say yes. Are Scene of Crime/ Forensic going to attend? Just a thought but what may appear as 'shrapnel' as described may possibly be bullet jacket. The exit hole in the locker side.. may.. be where the bullet core went through, the small scars above the hole may again be partial jacket strikes. In a similar fashion where the round went through boat's side and then struck the table leg the hole could be the bullet core, the dent next to it may be jacket strike if the round shed it's jacket on entry through the heavy fibre glass side.
Just curious, I'm sure the cops would have not missed the shed jacket pieces or mistaken them for pieces of table leg.
Some old 'Iron curtain' countries used/use steel jacketed rounds, so it won't necessarily be bits of copper lying around, it could be steel which looks like alluminium from the table leg. It would be unusual however if an easily spotted piece of jacket was not found when they first looked as it's rare for the jackets to completely break up...Having said that I've seen 7.62 short round steel jackets virtually disintegrate and that was just penetrating an old Datsun 120Y
Don't worry, I haven't got a TV so don't watch crime programmes,
but I did spend some years connected with firearms and their effects..Just hoping, as I'm sure they will, that the locals will get onto it, as some nutter needs capturing quickly.
Just curious, I'm sure the cops would have not missed the shed jacket pieces or mistaken them for pieces of table leg.
Some old 'Iron curtain' countries used/use steel jacketed rounds, so it won't necessarily be bits of copper lying around, it could be steel which looks like alluminium from the table leg. It would be unusual however if an easily spotted piece of jacket was not found when they first looked as it's rare for the jackets to completely break up...Having said that I've seen 7.62 short round steel jackets virtually disintegrate and that was just penetrating an old Datsun 120Y
Don't worry, I haven't got a TV so don't watch crime programmes,
but I did spend some years connected with firearms and their effects..Just hoping, as I'm sure they will, that the locals will get onto it, as some nutter needs capturing quickly.
rwoofer
Active member
I don't believe it is anything personal as the boat was at my local inland sailing club (just 5 mins from home) and hardly anyone knows that I own it. It is however the biggest boat in the boat park, so possibly a random act of jealousy.... From the outside it wouldn't have created much of a show, so hence it must have been some kind of perverted mind.
The police were equally concerned that what was obviously a high powered weapon, could have missed, travelling much farther and taken out a walker (less than 100 metres away is a common frequented by dog walkers).
I really seem to have rotten luck with boats. My old RM was hit 3 times by a hit and run boat, each time needing lift out, filling, fairing and respray costing 1,000s (and no witnesses). In the end, when I was at the end of the tether, I made the decision to sell it because I just could not take another incident happening. Those memories came flooding back when I saw what happened this time and the question "Why me?" rang in my head. Anyway best not to dwell on that, before I get too down or paranoid about this.
The police were equally concerned that what was obviously a high powered weapon, could have missed, travelling much farther and taken out a walker (less than 100 metres away is a common frequented by dog walkers).
I really seem to have rotten luck with boats. My old RM was hit 3 times by a hit and run boat, each time needing lift out, filling, fairing and respray costing 1,000s (and no witnesses). In the end, when I was at the end of the tether, I made the decision to sell it because I just could not take another incident happening. Those memories came flooding back when I saw what happened this time and the question "Why me?" rang in my head. Anyway best not to dwell on that, before I get too down or paranoid about this.
rwoofer
Active member
I'm hoping you'll say yes. Are Scene of Crime/ Forensic going to attend? Just a thought but what may appear as 'shrapnel' as described may possibly be bullet jacket. The exit hole in the locker side.. may.. be where the bullet core went through, the small scars above the hole may again be partial jacket strikes. In a similar fashion where the round went through boat's side and then struck the table leg the hole could be the bullet core, the dent next to it may be jacket strike if the round shed it's jacket on entry through the heavy fibre glass side.
Just curious, I'm sure the cops would have not missed the shed jacket pieces or mistaken them for pieces of table leg.
Some old 'Iron curtain' countries used/use steel jacketed rounds, so it won't necessarily be bits of copper lying around, it could be steel which looks like alluminium from the table leg. It would be unusual however if an easily spotted piece of jacket was not found when they first looked as it's rare for the jackets to completely break up...Having said that I've seen 7.62 short round steel jackets virtually disintegrate and that was just penetrating an old Datsun 120Y
Don't worry, I haven't got a TV so don't watch crime programmes,
Interesting. It was just the local copper who took pictures and picked through the bits - certainly no firearms expert. Maybe I should chase to get proper forensics in there.
rwoofer
Active member
This does scare me, because the bullet passed through the very bunk I sleep in!
Downsman
New member
It was just a thought, when I read the mention of 'Shrapnel,' and I don't want to take on the role of keyboard forensics expert..
Have a really good look for small sharp pieces of metal scattered around inside the boat. A magnet will give a clue if they're ally table leg fragments or something else. It's just that if someone is that careless perhaps potting bunnies on the nearby common and he's using steel jacketed ammo, he's got hold of some old Eastern Bloc stuff...which was not produced for killing bunnies!!
I'm sure the local cop will have considered these..possibilities.. anyway, and that's all my suggestions are, but maybe worth considering.
Capt Popeye
Well-known member
Err, just a thought, was he trying to sink her, as bullet just above waterline. Poor shot, as well as a sh..t.
Rigger Mortice
N/A
The boat isn't in the water.
MrB
Well-known member
Forensics should be looking at that for evidence, the rifling of the round would identify the gun. They could check who owns firearms in the area and prosecute them if they found a match. If they don't find out then they have someone on the loose with a high powered firearm that needs to be caught and fast.
Keith 66
Well-known member
It would seem to me that you have been the victim of a stupid accident. You dont say where the boat is stored? is it near a forested or farmed area?
The damage would indicate a centrefire rifle, i would lay money on someone deerstalking or fox shooting & taking a shot without considering his backstop.
Even a lowly .22 rimfire can carry over a mile & a .30 calibre way beyond that.
Any farms nearby should have their land assessed by the local firearms dept for suitability for various calibre rifles & they will have on record who has permission to shoot those calibres there, Unless the rifle owner has an open licence allowing him to shoot anywhere he has permission.
The damage would indicate a centrefire rifle, i would lay money on someone deerstalking or fox shooting & taking a shot without considering his backstop.
Even a lowly .22 rimfire can carry over a mile & a .30 calibre way beyond that.
Any farms nearby should have their land assessed by the local firearms dept for suitability for various calibre rifles & they will have on record who has permission to shoot those calibres there, Unless the rifle owner has an open licence allowing him to shoot anywhere he has permission.
BERT T
New member
For deer stalking or fox hunting a shooter is required to use expanding ammunition which is designed to fragment on impact,ensuring a humane kill. Due to the fact there is a hole in the table leg it would indicate that this was a full metal jacket bullet.
longjohnsilver
Well-known member
What a dreadful thing to have happen to you, I'm sure I'd be very upset and shaken up.
Is it worth doing a temporary repair now to get you back afloat with a view to a more permanent solution at the end of the season?
Is it worth doing a temporary repair now to get you back afloat with a view to a more permanent solution at the end of the season?
Keith 66
Well-known member
There are no restrictions on what you use on foxes, and there is a lot of military surplus fmj ammo out there, its cheap & used a lot for practice or target work.
Billjratt
Active member
Assuming the boat hasn't moved, you can work out the direction of fire. That may give a hint as to its origin and whether it was likely to be an error or not.