Hull speed is not an absolute limit. It's the speed above which the energy needed to make the boat go faster starts to increase very rapidly. It's the speed at which the bow wave wavelength starts to approach the waterline length of the boat. As the bow wave wavelength increases, the boat actually settles deeper into the water and has to push more water out of the way. So you can often motor faster than the hull speed, but your fuel consumption will probably drastically increase. And it is certainly possible to sail somewhat faster than hull speed in the right conditions. But remember, in the old days of sail, big sailing ships hit by squalls were sometimes "driven under" and sunk before the crew could get enough sails off (but really unlikely to happen with modern sailboats). If you are motoring through really thin water at high speed, remember that your draft will actually increase by several inches.
Enjoy!
Oldersalt
"In theory, theory and practice are the same. In practice, they are not."