why on earth would you gold plate a freaking boat? 😎

As it turned out to be a lie (Why say hoax!) but anyway, the term “Copper bottomed” was a term used to describe somebody rich. Because hulls were copper bottomed to keep the animal life off it, and in it. It was very expensive, thus had to be rich.
So, if you were very rich, it could be possible to plate it with Gold instead.

As for selling it to our Navy, I’m afraid it’s far too modern.