bough / bow
A tree limb versus a bend, a front of a ship, or a knot.
A bough is a branch. Bow is the other word: to bend the body, the front of a ship, or a tied loop. Do not write bough for the front of the boat.
Examples
Use Snow broke the bough.
Use The ship’s bow cut the ice.
Avoid Snow broke the bow. (If you mean the branch.)