How well do you sail? This is not a rhetorical question as my point is, make sure your boat is in good shape and learn to sail extremly well first. Once you have exhausted all you need to learn on making the boat go fast then work on the .005 knots you will increase with the finish on the boat.
A fast boat does not make you a fast sailor!
Clayton
Very true but..... As others have said the psychology of "I think and therefore I am" does play some part. If you are sailing a boat that you perceive as being inferior then your own performance will be at least some part effected.
If you are sailing what you believe is the fastest boat in the fleet this will have the effect of better feeling of wellbeing in your own mind and you will sail somewhat better.
Probably isn't going to take you from last to first but it might possibly win you a few places that you otherwise may not have got.
Tiger MIke
Oh and all scientifically based tests I have seen conclude that smooth polished boats will have less resistance thru the water than it's un-polished counterpart.
