?? Are fiberglass pontoon houseboats still allowed in California, Lake Oroville ??

[thefamilyaffair]

The question: Are fiberglass pontoon houseboats still allowed? How can I find out the local regulations?

The story behind the question:

After the storms we have had in California on the 5th my grandparents houseboat took some damage. One section of pontoon was missing and on the same side of the boat a pontoon was filled with water. Word was that there were 6ft waves on the lake during the storm. Anyways, the water was pumped out and the boat was waiting for a time when the family could get together and fix it. Another storm hit a week ago (3ft waves and 50mph winds). The boat was found upside-down on Thursday. Intrestingly the side that took on water was the undamaged side. The Marina pulled it out and damaged a number of the pontoons while doing so. The diver said that there was no damage on any of the pontoons prior to flipping it back over.

Anyways, we understand that the fiberglass pontoons were damaged but now were are told that we must replace the fiberglass with metal. Apearently fiberglass is no longer allowed??? Is this true? And why would they outlaw fiberglass?

My grandfather and his sons built this boat 25 years ago. We still have the mold for the pontoons and it only makes sense to use fiberglass. This is the first time the boat has ever been pulled out of the water since it was put in. The Marina's people and the owner of Emerald Bay Houseboats were all very surprise at the build quality and excellent condition of the boat. Especially because it is mostly wood and fiberglass.

Thanks