For anyone who is interested, I think I worked out a solution. Seems to work fairly well. anyway:

Code:

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				//(moment of inertia) I = kg * m^2
				//moment_of_inertia = my.mass * pow(45,2);
				//whoops this on is for a point mass 
				//moment_of_inertia = (2/5) * MR^2;
				moment_of_inertia = (2/5) * my.mass*   pow(my.diameter/2,2);
				

				
				//distance_from_centre
				vec_diff(distance_from_centre,target,my.x);				
				
				//determin which side of the ship that is
				vec_rotate(distance_from_centre, my.pan);



				//calculate difference in angle
				//between direction traveling and direction facing		
				vec_to_angle(temp2, my.velocity);				
				vec_diff(temp, temp2, my.pan);

	
				

				//local veloctiy
				local_velocity.x = vec_length(my.velocity);
				local_velocity.y = 0;
				local_velocity.z = 0;
				
				vec_rotate(local_velocity, temp);
				

				
				//Force
				vec_set(temp, local_velocity);
				vec_scale(temp, my.mass);
				vec_set(force, temp);
				
				
							
				//torque = force * distance_from_centre;
				
				torque.tilt = force.x * distance_from_centre.z
								 +force.z * distance_from_centre.x;
				torque.pan = force.x * distance_from_centre.y
								+force.y * distance_from_centre.x; 
				torque.roll = force.z * distance_from_centre.y
								 +force.y * distance_from_centre.z;
				

				
				
				//rot. a = torque / I, or
				//torque = I*(rot. a)				
				
				//rot_a = torque/moment_of_inertia
				
				if(moment_of_inertia) //don't divide by zero
				{
					rot_a.pan = (torque.pan / moment_of_inertia);
					rot_a.tilt = (torque.tilt / moment_of_inertia);
					rot_a.roll = (torque.roll / moment_of_inertia);
				}
				
				
				//convert from radians to degrees
				vec_set(temp,rot_a);
				vec_scale(temp, 57.296);
				vec_set(angular_momentum_change,temp);
				

				
				//angular_momentum_change = your_angular_formula * sin(theta)
				vec_scale(angular_momentum_change, sin(180 - dot_product));
				
	
				
				//phew! Now add that to the ship's angular velocity
				ang_add(my.ROT_VELOCITY, angular_momentum_change);	
					

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