On Sat, 16 Aug 2008 12:38:29 +0700, in message

Bruce in Bangkok wrote:

I wonder whether this phenomena applies to boats? Should we be
attaching shark skin to our boats?

I have seen the dinghy sailors polishing the underwater surfaces of
their dinghys with 2,000 grit sandpaper and wonder whether this might
actually be the wrong thing to do.

Is there any empirical information regarding the application of this
technology to boats?

The orientation of the surface is very important in determining
whether drag is reduced or increased, thus the effect is much easier
to manage on submerged bodies like sharks or aircraft, rather than
surface craft like sailboats that are subject to varying flow
directions due to wave action, heel angle, etc.

The effect is real. The major problem in application so far has been
that the surfaces are fragile and easily damaged by things like
slings, collision with minor debris, etc. It's not worth it outside
racing, and the RRS prohibit it.

Ryk