There's nothing like the smell of a new ship, am I right!? Too bad it literally means nothing... You should be rewarded for keeping your ship is tip top shape!
I think there should be a slight speed decrease for each separate patch on your hull. In reality, patches would cause extra friction, known as drag, which would result in slower speeds compared to a perfectly smooth hull.
Not only would this would reward good driving/parking, but it would also add another layer to pvp since a new ship could chase down an old busted up b****r. Plus, this might actually result in me using the "scuttle ship" option for the first time!
Thoughts?