Rc cannon hit sensors

[Maritime]

So I am going to build a rc square rig sailboat with firing guns, however what I want to achieve is I want a small ball bearing or someone similar to hit an opponent and cause a sensor to open a valve to let water in to allow a controlled sink.

so what I want is each time the sensor is triggered the valve/opening increases slightly more,

I am extremely new to this but I was hoping to get some information on how to achieve the sensor causing the valve to valve opening part- I would like it to be as cheap as possible and as I am unsure how to programme arduino circuits and other boards I would prefer it not to have them.
I look forward to your help and thanks in advance

[maddox10]

You're not the first to think about this.

http://rcwarships.com/

[Maritime]

Yeah I know abou the big gun warships however they are all designed to sink by piercing the balsa wood skin what I was hoping to do is create an electric sensor that can make the ship sink but retain the shooting part

[maddox10]

You are thinking of a kind of lasertag?

Could work.

[Maritime]

I wasn't sure how I would make the receiving end of that sensor style work though! Any ideas also I would have to be something other than infa red as I'd like to work it during daylight