Need suggestion for boat cover support bows

[EvilTwin]

Hi All. 

  I'm looking for suggestions as to which wood to use for the wood slats that are used to support a boat cover over winter.  They will need to fit a mount on either side of the boat.  The wood needs to by very straight grained and "springy".  Any suggestions?  Thanks.

[Guest]

Riven white ash works well for that sort of thing.

[JGrout]

how long? 

how thick?

how much crown?

[EvilTwin]

Less than 2" wide, about 1/4 to 3/8" thick, probably 8' or longer. Needs to bow up about a foot or more to be effective.

[JGrout]

rift sawn ( I think this would be better for straight grain) white oak if exposed to weather red oak will work under cover.  Ash and Poplar would work too although I would put some sort of pigmented finish on it 

I would encourage 1/4" thick for flexibility and angle the ends to fit the pockets you have

[Herb G]

I would try to find some PVC stock somewhere & maybe rip it down to size if you have to.

[Cooler]

Fiberglass pultrusions.

They make pole vault poles from this stuff.  Plenty of flex:

http://www.libertypultrusions.com/pultru...uded-rods/

At one time I found a vendor on line with stock sizes and a price list.  Look and you will find.

[Steve N]

Ash, Oak, Beech a few others on here but these are usually easily obtainable. I like rift sawn, and slabbed off the edge of the rift. Grain would be well oriented that way. Stock really needs to be very clear, absolutely no knots.

Just to check for length, and final fit I'd head to the BORG and buy a piece of at least 10" wide, whatever they are calling 2x stuff. That width is where you will find the best grain. Use the cheeep stuff to figure it out, then the more expensive stuff to make them with.

[Willyou]

Would it make sense to laminate the bows? When you glue them up, you could put most of the curve into them leaving only a little flex required to install them. Maybe, by doing this, you wouldn't need to be quite so particular about the quality or grain of the wood. Just asking. Not sure how this would work.

[Boatman53]

Ash would be my first choice, oiled or varnished for protection. Willyou has some good advice. I too would steam or laminate them to shape then cut just a little long so they have to flex into place. I've seen too many little wooden boats pushed apart by the force of those bows.
Jim