THE GANG LINE The gang line is a heavy-duty nylon (ski-rope) line that runs between the dogs to the rig. Each dog, except the leaders, is hitched to the gang line by a neckline at the collar and a tug line at the back of the harness. A single leader is hitched at the harness to the lead section of the gang line; dual-leaders may also be coupled at the collars by a short neckline. Here, the importance of high-quality neckware cannot be over-emphasized. Hitching dogs in pairs is preferred and many dog sledders use a modular gang line that consists of sections, each with neck and tug lines for a pair of dogs. The sections are looped together and repairs can be easily made by removing and replacing any damaged section. This system also allows the gang line to be shortened or lengthened, depending on the number of dogs being run. For additional security, an extra line—12 to 14 inches long, comes off the main gang line and attaches to the gig, serving as a backup should the main line fail. To help absorb the shocks created by the team starting and stopping, a bungee is inserted between the gang line and the gig.

CAPE TOWN SLEDDING

GANGLINES