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Yes and no. In order to go faster, a ship must reduce its air and water friction as much as possible, as friction force acts in the opposite direction as motion, ie slows the object down. However, it is friction that allows the propulsion system to 'push' the ship forward. This deals more with viscosity, which is *like* the friction of a liquid. In sailboats, it is the friction with the air that propels the ship.

Because friction is related to the area of contact and the vector of the velocity, it is ideal to have the least amount of surface area facing to the direction of motion, which is why most ships have a Vshape in the front.

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15y ago

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