# What thickness steel plate for a safe room on a boat?



## Privilege (Oct 18, 2015)

I'm going to be traveling around the Caribbean in my sailboat and will ocassionally be in areas where there are armed robbers/pirates. I therefore want to make a safe room out of the bedroom by putting steel plate on the inside of the door which is the only access to the room. 

I realize that any robbery carrying a high velocity rifle will take from my whatever they want but I'm working on the generalization that most poor armed robbers are carrying handguns or shotguns. I've seen steel plate penetrating tests online but they are usually conducted at a distance from which the shooter won't be hit by shrapnel. In my scenario, the potential shooter will be at point blank range shooting at right angles to the plate. 

Thicker plate is obviously preferable but the heavier it is the more problems I will have fitting it to an opening door. I would appreciate any realistic input.


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## denner (Jun 3, 2011)

Have you considered ballistic wall panels made from composites and/or composite/fiberglass type bullet resistant materials and/or panels. It would be much lighter, might be something to look into, but I'm just guessing.

http://www.gaffco.com/ballistic-armor/wall-panels/


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## Steve M1911A1 (Feb 6, 2008)

If I were a pirate, and boarded your boat, and then found that you had locked yourself inside a "safe room," I might get mad enough to just sink the boat, _with you in it_.
Or, I could tow your boat ashore, and then torch-cut you out of it...or blow the whole thing up...or starve you out...or burn the boat around you.

In a boat (rather than a ship, that is), I think that a "safe room" is probably self-defeating. I think that it'd put you into more danger than if you had fought back against the invaders.
Certainly, it would render you helpless. Probably it would prove just as fatal as would fighting back with ineffective weaponry.

If it were me, I would plan on avoiding areas where pirates are known to lurk. I would, in any case, also carry armament of some sort, to give me the chance to fight back if I were attacked.

(It occurs to me that a boat without the added mass of a "safe room" would probably be a lot faster, under sail or under power, than would be a boat with one.)


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## Spike12 (Dec 10, 2008)

What size is the boat? That would have a big impact on just how attractive a target you are. Depending on the size of the boat, by the time you load her with enough gear and food PLUS the steel, you'll be down on her lines. Remember too that all that weight has to be moved around by the sails, mast, rigging. Not to mention your ground tackle, dock lines and stearing gear. Weight is your enemy when cruising. It slows the boat down when you still need it to be fast. Fast is safe. 

I think asking the locals for information on where NOT to go may prove more valuable than steel plate.

But I think your goal should be to stop an AK round.

Have you also considered the idea of being shot from the overhead?

Being somewhat of an experienced cruiser (sailboat) and having rebuilt from the hull in 3 boats I can imagine the complexity of your task.


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## Privilege (Oct 18, 2015)

Thanks Denner, I'll look into that. As far as the logic of making a safe room, I'm happy that it is sound logic. I will have active defenses including alarm an system, flashing lights, pepper spray and maybe a firearm depending on
my location. The idea is to make yourself a less attractive target than the next boat. I'm putting
measures in place for your average armed robber who does not want to hang around, tow your boat away or sink it. Recently in the Philipeans armed robbers kidnapped four
couples from a hotel dock. The only ones they left behind were the ones with an active resistance plan. 

I consider the extra 50lb of ballistic protection to be worth the effort. I appreciate everyone's input.


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