Ship wear / age to improve small ship combat

[Luvstruck]

To promote small ship engagements and make large ships more of a tactical ploy than just a stomp all unit, I think adding ship wear and ship age would make a difference.
These two mechanics would have multiple things that are added to the game, ships sailed a lot become lower quality, meaning used ship market would see an increase and prices reflecting the quality of the ship would add some immersion. As ships aged and they were replaced they often were auctioned off. Up coming captains can use ships that have seen better days as a lower cost entry into larger ships, but would also keep the ship market healthy. But the added cost to sailing a ship of the line, just from wear would make the question 'is it worth the trip?' as it would have been IRL.

Ship wear would change the sailing characteristics of the ships as they sailed. Growths would form on the hulls of ships that are at sea for a time and would slow the ship. Ships would have to be cleaned to keep the ships performance up. This would also effect trade ships and once again add a cost to just leaving port with a ship.
 

[Einarr]

I've been interested in this sort of item/upgrade quality topic before. While it'd be hard to put that sort of quality aspect into single items like having a "Golden Cartagena Caulking Refit" with +5% all stats or something since people have 100 of them stacked, it could be possible with ships. 

I don't mind the idea of having wear/age/stats tied to ships. Gives your pixels some character.