On payload, making the ship heavier makes it go faster under the exact same thrust, even though speed was below max so drag was not an issue. This cannot be correct. Physics.
Found a fun exploit. If the enemy is built on a high enough elevation, you can capture one city on his island and then lower the level one land to sea level. This will cut huge gashes into his land and destroy a lot of his cities. Battleships level is good for this.