Boat Style Wings

[Breac]

I'm trying to tie some Green Peters and the pattern calls for hen pheasant tail wings tied in boat style. I've tried folding the wings but they fall apart. Can anyone suggest the easiest way of tying these?

Cheers,
Breac

[charlieH]

When you say 'boat-style' do you mean hugging the upper quadrant of the hook on each side, with the top edges just meeting along the top of the hook, so as to give a profile like an upturned keel-less rowing boat, rather than side by side on top of the hook?

If so, to avoid the wing splitting, try tying in each wing separately, and reverse the direction of the silk for the second one. The wings should always be pulled upwards against the shank rather than downwards; this helps them to hold together.

If you normally wind the thread up and away from you (ie clockwise when viewing the fly from the front), tie on the nearer wing first, making sure that it doesn't stray more than halfway over the top of the fly. Then throw a couple of half hitches over the fly and wind the thread in the opposite direction, (ie down and towards you or anti-clockwise when seen from the front). Then tie in the wing on the further side, making sure the top edge sits tight to the first wing but without overlapping it.

This is rather a convoluted description, but I hope it makes sense. It's the usual method for tying traditional spey style flies, which have their wings set low and wrapped round the hook rather than perched on top.

[Breac]

Thanks Charlie, thats exactly what I was looking for!

Breac