Progressive (Parabolic) Furled Leader

FAOL Community Fly Anglers Online
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Furled Leaders are tapered furled threads.

Progressive (Parabolic) Furled Leaders, have each segments reduced at a predetermined percentage from the previous segment, giving the Progressive (Parabolic) Furled Leader, a balance reduction in mass (weight) over the length of the leader, resulting in a balanced transfer of the energy in the casting motion to the fly.

Below is a “How-To” example of a Progressive (Parabolic) Furled Leader Formula that can be used to design any Furled Leader you wish to use.

I start, and end, my Furled Leaders by using full loops. This will give added strength for the building process when twisting and will hide the tie-off knot.

I tie the thread in at the 2nd Peg on each side of the jig, and tie-off (in this demonstration) at the 3rd Peg. The formula will compensate the extra strands of thread in the 1st and 3rd loops.

80 inches Progressive (Parabolic) Furled Leader

Four (4) pegs used for the Left and Right tracks, for the tapered furled leader jig.

Loop sequence: 6 - 4? - 3

Thread count per section
24 - 21 - 18 - 15 - 12

Reduction in mass (weight) per segment is 55%, from previous segment.

All percentages based on the starting segment, which is 100% or 1.000 in the calculation. Before determining the final lengths for each segment.

To compensate for the reduction in number of strands of thread in each segment of the Tapered Furled Leader, a ?Correlation Factor? is used to compensate for the difference in mass/length for the new segment in relation to the previous segment mass/length. The Correlation Factor is number of thread strands in previous segment/number of thread strands in the new segment.

S1 = 1.000

S2 = (1.000)(0.55)(24/21) =
S2 = (1.000)(0.55)(1.143) = 0.629

S3 = (0.629)(0.55)(21/18) =
S3 = (0.629)(0.55)(1.167) = 0.404

S4 = (0.395)(0.55)(18/15) =
S4 = (0.395)(0.55)(1.200) = 0.267

S5 = (0.261)(0.55)(15/12) =
S5 = (0.261)(0.55)(1.250) = 0.165

Total Percentage = 1.000 + 0.629 + 0.404 + 0.267 + 0.165 = 2.465

Total Length/Total Percentage = Length S1/Percentage S1
80 inches/2.465 = Length S1/1.000
Length S1 = (80 inches)(1.000)/2.464 = 32.467 inches (32 inches)

80 inches/2.465 = Length S2/0.629
Length S2 = (80 inches)(0.629)/2.464 = 20.422 inches (20 inches)

80 inches/2.465 = Length S3/0.395
Length S3 = (80 inches)(0.395)/2.464 = 12.825 inches (13 inches)

80 inches/2.465 = Length S4/0.261
Length S4 = (80 inches)(0.261)/2.464 = 8.474 inches (8 inches)

80 inches/2.464 = Length S5/0.179
Length S4 = (80 inches)(0.179)/2.464 = 5.812 inches (6 inches

Jig Peg Placement
(Peg positions are rounded to the nearest 1 inch

L1/R1 = 0 inches
R2 = 32 inches
L2 = 53 inches
R3 = 66 inches
L3 = 75 inches
L4/R4 = 80 inches

This is an adaptation of Dave Ulmer (slicfoots) knotted tapered leader formula that can be found in the archives of FAOL “The Big Leader Formula” in James Castwell’s column.

~Parnelli

Postscript: You can change any portion to the formula to suit your needs.

Changing the number of Loop Sequences and/or Loop Intervals.

Change the percent of reduction, for each section.

Change the Total Length of the Line.

If you want to have some added length at the Butt or Tip in you can adjust the peg positions after you have determined the spacing in the formula.

[This message has been edited by Steven H. McGarthwaite (edited 05 January 2006).]

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I calculated out the 80 inch furled leader above with a 7-5?-4?-3 loop sequence. This will be basically the same furled leader, only difference is the number of segments increases from 5 segment to 7 segments, and the number of pegs in the left and right track go from 4 pegs each, to 5 pegs.

L1/R1 = 0"
L2 = 31"
R2 = 51"
L3 = 63"
R3 = 70"
L4 = 74"
R4 = 78"
L5/R5 = 80"

Parnelli

[This message has been edited by Steven H. McGarthwaite (edited 05 January 2006).]

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Steven,

Thanks for the formula and instructions. I’d like to try one, but I have a question about how to tie off the threads for full loops. I’ve been using a jig with a right and left leg that is twined separately and then furled together. Each leg starts with an overhand knot loop tied to a hook at the start, and the last peg at the finish.

Wouldn’t your method of tie-off (start and fisnish) result in a loose end when taken off the pegs?

Thanks ahead,

Bill

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I use full loops (versus ? loops) for the starting and finishing loop.

All you have to do is, start the furles for the left and right tracks, at the 2nd peg, and tie off at the 2nd to last peg on the track. This will make the first and last loops as full loops 6,3 . The intermediate loops inbetween the 1st and last loops are half loops 5?,4?.

I do not like a knot in the line at the ends of my furled leaders, instead I prefer that the knot be locked in by the furling process, away from the ends of the furled leader. Reason is that a knot is the weakest point in a thread, and has a lower breaking strenght than the thread.

My Furled Leader Jig (Board) is 14 feet in lenght, and I even have a third run if I wish to use a 3 bundle furled leader.

Also another note, I use white thread, and dye it after the furled leader is finished. I hang them on a string using paper clips.

When the furled leaders have dried, I run a rag that is saturated with varnish. This is for a protective coating for the leader, it does not add any significant weight, and helps seal the furled leader from spraying while casting. I beleive it helps give the furled leader some stiffness, helps reduce abrasion of the furled leader, and to help in casting motion of the fly.

Been working on these furled leaders for about 3 years now, adding improvements along the way. Thought I would share some of my thoughts.

If you don’t have a handle on the formula, I can crank out a peg lay out for leader, just need to know the length and the loop sequence.

~Parnelli

You can play with these to your hearts content. I have a spreadsheet setup, to crunch the numbers, so I can figure a sequence out for you. Just need the length of the leader, and the loop sequence.

[This message has been edited by Steven H. McGarthwaite (edited 05 January 2006).]

[This message has been edited by Steven H. McGarthwaite (edited 05 January 2006).]

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Parn,
I don’t know how you do it. I am totally in awe. My fishing is so much more simple than that, I can’t even comprenhend. Thank you for your insight, and thank you for doing my thinking for me. Please keep it up.
Your Friend,
Joe

Life, is the time He gave you to determine where you want to spend eternity.

Lotech Joe

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Okay, thanks. I see now that you’re using a different technique than I. I think I can still use your formula with my simpler, shorter jig, but the full loops won’t work. Never had a strength problem with my leaders, so I’m not worried about adding another, single strand of thread (half loop) at either end.

Thanks again for the formula. I’ll give it a try.

Bill

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Caddisman: Cruched these numbers up for you

80" (5?, 4? 3?) loop sequence

L1/R1 0"
L2 = 34"
R2 = 55"
L3 = 67"
R3 = 75"
L4/R4 = 80"

80" (6?, 5?, 4?, 3?) loop sequence

L1/R1 = 0"
L2 = 32"
R2 = 52"
L3 = 63"
R3 = 71"
L4 = 75"
R4 = 78"
L5/R5 = 80"

Try those out, same furled leader, just with a little adjustment in segment lengths and loop sequence.

I forgot to answer your question on doing full loops at the beginning and end of run. I tape the thread next to the 2nd peg when starting the looping (lots of extra tag), and then loop around the 1st and 2nd Pegs, then continue on looping around the 2nd and 3rd Pegs (remember that the thread has to be threaded thru the inside of the first loop every time you lap the 2nd peg).

Continue on looping around the 3rd and 4th Peg (again passing the thread thru the inside of the 2nd loop on each pass).

I then tie off the tag end by at the connection of the 2nd and 3rd loop, where the thread lap over.

I then go back to the start and do the same to the tagged thread I taped to the jig, tying it in where the 1st and 2nd loops cross over.

I then do a single drop of CA adhesive (superglue) to where I secured the thread tags. I hope this explains it clearly!

~Parnelli

[This message has been edited by Steven H. McGarthwaite (edited 06 January 2006).]

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Parnelli,

Thanks for that clarification on the tie in, and the number crunching on my behalf.

I love fishing with these leaders and your forumula makes good sense in terms of transfering the loop of the fly line to the leader, and on to turning over the fly. I use treated, thread for my dry fly fishing (80"), and 2lb. mono for my heavy nymphing and steelhead leader butts (60"). Your formula should make it simple to calculate for that shorter length as well.

Good stuff here.

Bill

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Here are two 60" leaders using the same formula as the previous two at 80".

60 in furled leader loop sequence 6, 4?, 3

L1/R1 = 0"
L2 = 24"
R2 = 40"
L3 = 49"
R3 = 56"
L4/R4 = 60"
…

60" Furled Leader, Loop Sequence 7, 5?, 4?,3

L1/R1 = 0"
L2 = 24"
R2 = 38"
L3 = 47"
R3 = 52"
L4 = 56"
R4 = 58"
L5/R5 = 60"

Elape time to calculate the two formula’s under 3 minutes, (cause I had all the Percentages, just had to change the length). ~Parnelli

[This message has been edited by Steven H. McGarthwaite (edited 06 January 2006).]

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Very cool. Thanks for the extra 3 min. I probably would’ve gotten it wrong.

Bill

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If you all want something to use for toothy fish use 12 lb spider fusion 2 lb dia. works great there are a few folks on here who has some of them I made. If you want a limper leader for fishing use danvilles thread if you want a stiffer and one that stays drier then use uni. I usually take bees wax or some type of wax and slid it up and down the leader then take an old rag and really go up and down the leader to work the wax into the leader.Matt

To each there own !