I am wondering if I could just make my own wood bows for under canvas?

[Christopher Quast]

I just bought a canvas for my boat and will be storing it outside this winter and would like to put the wood bows under canvas to help the snow slide off and so it doesnt build up with ice. I was thinking about making my own, and was thinking about just cutiing them out of 2x4's. Do you think this will work and if not what kind of wood are they made out of?

[Surface Tension]

Go to any of the building centers, look in mill work dept and get some mahogany parting stop.

The snow won't slide off though. Make a tent out of a plastic tarp. 10x20' tarp works perfect. I put a boat cushion on top the outboard and a 2x4 on that and up to the bow where I have a saw horse. Lay the trap across and then tie it to the trailer frame.

[efgh]

I think the best wood to use for bows for under the boat canvas would be straight grain hickory, oak or hard maple in that order.

[boatfixer]

They are actually made from ash.

[JScott]

I've had good luck using PVC to make a stand to create a peak down the middle of the boat. It dissasembles easily for storage during the summer. Just make two T's and run a horizontal piece down the center. A middle support is helpful too. If you make it high enough and use a plastic tarp, a lot of the snow will just slide off. The rest you can pull off with a push broom every now and then.

[SkunkedAgain]

I created a wood horse using regular 2x4s. The horse is shaped like an upside down "U" with feet. It's only a third of my boat's length. Off of each end of the horse, I have a 2x4 running to the motor and one to the bow. I took some carpet samples, tailed them to the top of the wood, and that keeps the wood from puncturing the canvas.