One AC team (DC maybe??) did a program where they did a "grooved" finish (like a record). The idea was that the size of the groves were such that the water "saw" less surface area b/c only so many molecules could pack themselves into the space available. From an engineering standpoint, I have a hard time seeing it, but there is money in winning and therefor money in research. I would bet it had to be a surface that water was more adhesive to and therefor produced a fixed boundry layer.

Cool as a shark skin finish would be, is that maybe mother nature doing her best to produce a surface that is both durable and fast? Shark skin has to be tough but flexible, maybe smooth just didn't make sense, so that's what evolved? Note: Dolphins are fairly smooth. Maybe since they don't have thumbs they can't hold sanding blocks like we can, otherwise they might like to have a 1200grit finish <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

I like to wax regardless b/c it keeps the hulls clean. The only two rules: 1. the nut on the stick is more important than the finish of the hulls. 2. No wax where the crew stands <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />