The sledges are ... Sledges. Dog Sled Race

Volokushi probably thought up wheels before. Narts are a kind of improved version of such an adaptation. Quite simply, sledges can be described as follows: a wooden flooring on a pair of long skis tied to dogs or deer. It was these animals in the indigenous peoples of the North that were the main draft force.

Narts for dogs, as well as for deer, were widely used in everyday life of the Chukchi, Eskimos, Evenks. They carried uncomplicated household utensils, roaming with herds of deer on the tundra, used for hunting, fishing and even in military affairs.

Dog transport is indispensable in conditions of total impassability. Dogs, feeding on local fodders (fish, meat), possessing amazing endurance and unpretentiousness to the harsh conditions of the North, do not have competitors in draft work. A dog team can travel up to 200 km per day. With a cargo of up to 500 kg, a team of ten dogs can go up to 80 km daily for several days in a row.

Deer can not compete with them in places where the reindeer does not grow (their main food), and in the coastal zone - on them on the ice it is very difficult to move.

To manage the team of reindeer deer, a dagger was used - a special pole for controlling the sleds. With its help, you can slow down the sleigh, turn them, push a lagging or lazy animal. In the parking lot, the dab was stuck between the cross-arms of the narts, using it as a handbrake.

Dogs also used a pole to control sledges, but a little improved design. Several metal rings were attached to its upper part. Poking around with them, the guards gave direction to the harness, turning it in the right direction.

Race

Difficult conditions for survival in the extreme north and hard work required positive emotions. It is the dog sled race that has become an excellent way to get away from the daily worries and see whose dogs are stronger and more enduring.

The history of races on dogs counts more than one hundred years, but they were known only to the inhabitants of Canada, the USA and Russia. Mass gain and prevalence among the entire population of the Earth was given to them by the gold rush. In extremely difficult conditions for gold mining , only dogs were reliable draft power. From their stamina, the ability to pull a heavy load for long distances depended on the lives of a huge number of people.

A strong dog team was valued in weight of gold and was the pride of its master. Not all these animals are capable of driving. The best breeds for racing are Siberian Husky, Samoyed, Eskimo Laika, Alaskan Malamute, Greenlandic, Chukchi sled dog and their crossbreeds.

Narts for dogs

Equally important element of such competitions are special racing sledges. Sled dogs can be purchased at specialized stores along with all the ammunition for animals. They are different in design, material of manufacture, weight, size. But for all models and types of racing narts there are mandatory elements:

• Runners - run parallel to the ground at a slight angle, which gives them stability;
• Arc or ram - for it keeps the driver during the ride;
• Legs-kopylia - connected by crossbeams;
• Flooring for cargo or passenger.

This kayur (dog-driver) makes sledges with his own hands. The size and design depend on the purpose and type of winter races:

• Sprint-class, high-speed race for a short distance;
• Average distances - up to 500 km;
• For long distances - over 500 km;
• Multi-stage race - can consist of several types of distances;
• Cargo - baggage transportation competitions;
• With orientation on the terrain - a route with control points is a team of two people.

Sleds can be designed for long or short distances, for one dog or a harness for up to 16 goals.

Ways of harnessing dogs

There are two types of dog harness: fan and crooked. Older and more convenient is the jig harness. To the long central belt-pulling dogs are fastened. There are two ways: tie dogs in pairs or alternately "herringbone". With this method, the animals catch on short straps at the same distance from each other, in turn to the right and left.

With the jigging team leaders are placed in front. As a rule, these are strong dogs, able to pierce the road in deep snow. The convenience of such a harness is that you can quickly replace the tired front pair and continue driving without losing speed. At the dog races harness a train.

The fan version of the harness involves placing the animals along an arc relative to the narts. Here, too, has its own nuances, the fan happens:

• Full - the dogs are on the same line;
• On a slightly arched arc;
• By the ledge - dogs are harnessed in the form of a wedge.

With different versions of the fan harness, the location of the leaders can be in the center or on the sides. Harness an odd number of dogs. For racing, this method is not used.

Modern sledges

Progress has long struck forward, but on the snowy plain, the sledges remain the actual vehicles. The dogs were replaced with snowmobiles. The sledges themselves improved. These are specialized models of trailing devices, designed for different purposes. For their production use the most advanced materials and advanced technologies.

Snowmobiles have firmly entered the life of today's hunters, fishermen, tourists, participants of various expeditions, lovers of active recreation and ordinary inhabitants of the northern latitudes. Full rest or work requires some equipment. For its transportation, the bicycle was not invented, but the ancient means of transportation - the sledges - were improved.

Types of sledges

Depending on the purpose of the sled, it is both a cargo area and a means for transporting passengers. There are variants of closed and open type. They can transport hundreds of kilograms of cargo and comfortably carry passengers. According to the design features, the sled can be divided into four groups.

Volokushi

Volokushi is the most simple and affordable model. It looks like a deep trough with a trailing drawbar for a snowmobile. In addition to low cost, the scoop has the following advantages:

- very simple construction;

- little weight;

- they practically do not freeze in sludge;

- it is convenient to stack luggage;

- have a low center of gravity, which prevents overturning;

- float on the water.

There are significant shortcomings, the most important of which is the absolute lack of comfortable conditions for the transportation of passengers. They have their entire area in contact with the ground, so the shock absorber is not here. Any unevenness, stone, log or stump will perceptibly hit the wheel, plastic may not withstand such loads and split. Because of this, they are preferably used in snow.

Another frequent breakdown is the destruction of the drawbar with a strong impact, for example a tree. A small load-carrying capacity, wetting of cargo during transportation on water or on shug, instability on slopes, too, can be written down in negative characteristics of scoops.

Cargo sledge

Cargo sledges, in contrast to the scraper, for skidding on the surface are equipped with skis. Often, models are equipped with shock absorbers. Benefits:

- heavy lifting capacity;

- widely supplied skis provide stability, and the presence of skates does not allow them to roll over on the slopes;

- more comfortable, in comparison with the scraper, the transportation of passengers;

- water, even if it falls on a sledge, does not accumulate on them;

- Sleigh-boxes provide complete safety of cargo and easy luggage stowage.

At the same time, there are some problematic moments, first of all, this is the big weight of the sleigh itself. When transporting large or long loads, you should carefully stack the luggage, taking into account the optimal load balance for the entire length of the sled. Metal parts are frozen, than they bring additional trouble to their owners

Passenger sledge

Passenger sleds for a snowmobile can be closed or open type, with a capacity of 2 to 8 people. There are small, in the form of a plastic capsule with a luggage compartment, designed for 1-2 passengers.

A variant of the increased class of comfort is possible. They are free to accommodate four adults, comfortably arranged on soft sofas. The level of comfort and equipment depends on the brand of the manufacturer and class of sledges. There are open sledges for transportation of fishermen, hunters or tourists.

Homemade

Narts with their own hands makes a huge number of people. First, it's cheaper. Secondly, you can make highly specialized sleds for a specific task. Only from the experience and skill of the master it depends on how well the sleighs are made for carrying heavy luggage or comfortable traveling of people. Well, most importantly, self-made sleds are an opportunity to realize interesting developments and inventions.

When choosing a sled for a snowmobile, one should take into account not only the purpose of their use, but also the conditions in which the sleigh will have to be operated. Each design has its pros and cons. There is no universal option for all occasions.

In snowy areas, plastic models are appropriate. Low temperature requires high quality plastic. Stony areas suggest the use of metal rails, transportation of people - the presence of shock absorbers, on short scrapers it is convenient to transport a small cargo, for heavy and dimensional luggage - use cargo sledges.