[fso301]

I thought synthetic shark skin was supposed to cut the friction

[Oldexpat]

Going back 50 years ago, naval artichokes were trying to inject oil type stuff into the boundry layer to reduce skin friction. Never somehow worked out, but more power..or less power to them.

[GodGunsGuts]

==I thought synthetic shark skin was supposed to cut the friction

That sounds right, but the slime protects against fouling, which a synthetic shark skin by itself would not.