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Q. How much
does it cost?
A.  Since 1
December 2007, we have been able to offer a new blow-moulded
version, known as Super Skamper-Ramp®. It is
markedly stronger, more robust, and high quality. It is best
suited for frequent use and any size (even large) animals. The
Super Skamper-Ramp snaps together (no nuts,
bolts or flexible wing strips), and is the best solution for
vinyl-lined pools. Expect the starting price around £60.00. Use
it with or without the extension, depending on your needs.
Any
animal can use the Super Skamper-Ramp; the additional length
created by the optional extender merely allows larger dogs to
get their hind legs on to the ramp sooner and rely less on their
upper body strength.
The retail
price for the original Skamper-Ramp® - that
is best suited for critter control and s mall
pets, emergency only and infrequent use - in the UK starts at
£60.00
Q. Why
does it work?
A.
Skamper-Ramp
is an escape ramp: a means of preventing animals and pets from
drowning. It is truly a K.I.S.S.—“keep it simple solution”—to a
very major problem: animal drowning. Easy to assemble,
lightweight, strong and inexpensive, it is white so all living
things can see it.
Because it is made of heavy-duty plastic, it is a deceptively
simple-looking product. But behind that design there is
a significant amount of engineering, science and testing. The
primary science is that ALL living beings - domestic or wild;
bugs, animals, or humans; colour-blind or not - see at the
wavelength that is the colour white. When trapped, day or night,
they see it and go to it to keep their heads out of water and
for escape.
Skamper-Ramp provides peace-of-mind to pet
owners and animal lovers since it provides protections against
drowning, day or night, 24/7.
Skamper-Ramp must
be installed so that a few inches of the "nose" (curved) end are
under water and
the ramp breaks the water's surface, enabling the animal to see
it at eye level in the water. The "open-box-top" end (closest to
the pool wall) must be
very snug against a vertical wall in order to provide the
rigidity necessary for an animal to "skamper" out on the ramp —
whether it's a pool (commercial or private), floating or fixed
dock, walled pond, spa, bulkhead, reservoir, canal, stern of a
boat, or stock tanks and water troughs in pastures and remote
ranch land.
You'll
notice the decorative pattern (created by the traction and flow
holes) catches the animal's interest but there are no
colours on
Skamper-Ramp because not all animals see colours, but ALL animals
see white. Skamper
Ramp is the only water rescue device on the market that is a
ramp and provides any animal with an escape
from drowning—allowing exit from the water on their own!!
NOTE: For optimal performance of
the all three Skamper-Ramp models it is important, from time to
time, to check and make sure the rope is as taut as can be so
the ramp is very snug to the (pool) wall... for the Original
(and discontinued Big Dog) versions, it is important to check
the nuts and bolts for tightness as well. Also, the side wing
nuts should be screwed tight and the tabs pushed through so that
the wings can "splay" out a bit when you push down on the upper
portion.
Q. What about vinyl-lined pools and above ground pools?
A. While
any of our ramps work well for permanent vinyl liner pools
- in-ground or above-ground (steel walled) - making sure that an
animal’s claws don't puncture the pool liner, the Super
Skamper-Ramp (with or without its extender) will certainly be
the safest and best model to use. If you have a deck
surface that overhangs the pool wall by 1" or more, make sure
you re-lace the ramp’s rope to the set
of holes below the Skamper-Ramp logo so that the ramp can be
snugged under the overhang, directly against the side wall.
In normal
infrequent, escape-only
usage, the Original Skamper-Ramp version will
not cut through
or tear the vinyl - for
 peace-of-mind, a
double layer of vinyl can be put on the side wall of the pool
where the ramp will hang (if you can get some from your vinyl
pool contractor, or tape the edges of the ramp with vinyl repair
tape) but neither should be necessary.
Note
that the Super Skamper-Ramp is designed
for regular, even frequent, usage in vinyl pools as well.
Its totally smooth edges will not cut or wear on your liner,
even if it is used for regular ingress and egress by your pet.
We do not
recommend our ramps for soft-sided, non-permanent, above-ground
pools. However, it is possible to adapt your pool to accommodate
the Super Skamper-Ramp. You could try to adapt your deck
(primarily by affixing a 1x10 x 18” board under the deck with a
brace behind it holding it perpendicular to the deck and
parallel to the pool wall) so that the Skamper-Ramp will have a
rigid flat surface to brace against so that animals may escape
using it.
Q. How does it install to a boat or a dock?
A.
Because
Skamper-Ramp was originally designed for use in pools, dock
installation is easy if there is a vertical face to the dock.
Simply tie both rope ends to one cleat and make sure the ramp is
snug to the dock face.
Boat
installation often requires some ingenuity, and awareness that
chop may “kick it up”. Outboard motors, are the easiest – as in
the picture here, simply brace the ramp on the stern alongside a
motor and tie both ropes to one stern cleat.
With a
swim ladder, some people re-lace the rope to the set of holes
below the Skamper-Ramp logo and then tie it around the ladder
rails, and brace it between the top rung and the bottom of the
platform, so that the underside of the platform keeps the ramp
from going vertical.
With a
large platform that is high off the water, some people put eye
hooks on the underside of the platform about 6” back from the
end. Then re-lace the rope so that you can tie the ramp through
the eye hooks and back down through the ramp, allowing the ramp
to stay dragging behind and under the boat. The advantage to
this is that in chop it won’t kick up and the
underside of the platform allows a brace so the ramp doesn’t go
vertical.
The back
(“open box”) end of the ramp requires approximately 5” of a
vertical surface to brace against, or must have the underside of
a rigid horizontal surface to brace against. As with pool
installation, the ramp also must have at least 3” submerged
beneath the water. We will honestly tell you that if your boat
gunwale is too high out of the water (like many sailboats), has
a sloped transom/stern or no place to “create” a brace, it may
not be appropriate for your boat.
On the
other hand, we have had a number of customers tell us that they
“will figure it out and make it work”….essentially, where
there is a will, there’s a way! But there are other options in
products designed specifically for boats:
www.doggydocks.com and
Paws aboard.
Q. What is it made of?
A. The
new
 Super
Skamper-Ramp has been blowmoulded using white polyethylene, and
is equally as chemical- and UV/solar-resistant as the original
version which is made from recyclable box-extruded polypropylene
that is likewise UV- and chemical-resistant. None of the
Skamper-Ramp models will become yellow, mildew or “scummy” over
time -- and they won't grow barnacles. Both fabrication
methods ensure that all models are lightweight as well as
durable—providing tremendous strength-to-weight ratio and
affordability!
Each ramp
comes complete with the necessary hardware for assembly and
installation - rope, stainless steel d-ring clips and washers
for the Super Skamper-Ramp which snaps together; and the nylon
rope, nuts, bolts, washers, wing strips, and stainless steel
d-ring clips for screwing into the decking for the original
ramp.
The only additional parts you will need to
purchase separately, for any of our ramps, are the 1/4"
stainless steel pan-head screws about 1.5" long (and concrete
anchors) required by your pool deck surface.
The new
Super Skamper-Ramp is a blowmoulded polyethylene part, while the
original Skamper-Ramp is fabricated from 8 mm polypropylene
board.
NOTE: For optimal performance it
is important, from time to time, to check and make sure the nuts
and bolts are tight on the original and Big Dog models, and that
the rope is taut on all models so the ramp is snug to the pool
wall and most stable.
Q. What size is right for me to use and what
are other applications?
A. The
newly designed Super Skamper-Ramp is meant for any size animal,
can be used with or without the entender snapped in, and is
designed to endure more wear-and-tear from frequent
use, rather than just an occasional escape. It is strong enough
to hold over 200 lbs (~100 kgs) on dry land, so even more with
water displacing the weight.
 The
original Skamper-Ramp is for critter control,
emergency escape and
infrequent use, especially for animals under 45 lbs (20
kgs).
The width of the Skamper-Ramp was
determined by the fact that the placement of the feet of
virtually all dogs never exceeds 12”. Most any animal’s upper
body can be held out of water by any size of Skamper-Ramp, allowing
the ramp to do what it is supposed to do—prevent drowning.
Because so many customers asked for it, we made the longer and
much stronger Super Skamper-Ramp model, for dogs that weigh more
and have longer shoulder to hip length.
Even so, the original size is still the most commonly used for
smaller pets and/or control of wildlife that fall/are chased
into a water hazard.
You can
bend but you can't actually break the original
model of polypropylene ramp. It may not always look pretty but
it will provide a means of holding a head out of water, or
escape.
For people with
very
small pets, like toy and teacup breeds, you might feel
more comfortable putting white towelling on the ramp and lacing
it on the underside so there isn’t a chance they will be
frightened by the hole pattern or slip their leg into the holes
as they learn to use the ramp. You might also find you can use
the larger ramp as an indoor ramp for pets weighing less than 25
lbs(10kgs), to get up onto, or down from furniture and then tuck
out of sight when not in use.
For those
who live on farms and ranches, you can anchor the original
Skamper-Ramp in stock tanks and water troughs hs
so that any critters that might fall in, when going for
a drink or swim, have a means of escape and won't drown and
pollute the water as they decay. One less chore for the busy
farmer/rancher, and peace of mind that there is good water for
animals to drink.
In winter, if pools are left slightly drained
for winter, hanging a Skamper-Ramp down into the pool makes an
easy escape ramp for any animal that may get caught during
the off-season. For old fashioned covers that are not permeable,
leaving a larger sized Skamper-Ramp tied to the cover anchor
along the middle of the narrow side, reaching as far to the
centre as possible, helps a dog or animal that may go onto the
sagging cover, have a way to get out.
Skamper-Ramp works well with
floating docks and houseboats, too! It just must have
the 5-6" of vertical surface to brace against and have at least
3" of ramp in the water at all times.
Q. Why do I
need a Skamper-Ramp if I have a pool alarm, a fenced pool, or I
have trained my dog to the steps?
A. No
matter how careful we are, accidents do happen! Fence gates get
left open from time to time, or don’t always get securely
closed. Many animals—especially "critters!" manage to get over
or under fencing. Alarms are great if someone is around to hear
them. What if they aren’t?
In
training a pet to the steps (which are underwater and can’t be
seen by the pet), you have actually trained your pet to some
marker. But do you know exactly what that marker is that your
pet is using? What if that potted plant or piece of furniture is
moved for a party, or the landscape changes – how will your pet
find the steps then? And while you may have trained your dog to
the steps, that is when you go to the pool with them or call
them out from a consistent place, not necessarily when you are
not there or it is a stressful time. What if they are spooked,
chased or fall in, or if some other animal gets to your pool?
Then the situation is not the same.
Just as one plans for layers of safety protection to keep people
from drowning in the pool, one needs to also plan for layers of
protection to keep animals from drowning in pools. There is
great value to the peace of mind that comes from knowing there
is one additional, inexpensive layer for drowning prevention in
addition to your fence and/or your training.
Q.
Are there alternative anchoring
methods?
A.
For
those that don’t want to drill holes into their decks, it is
possible to use existing tie-down points such as pool cover
attachment anchors, clips, railings, etc. Just be sure to check
the tautness of the rope from time to time—the knots can loosen,
particularly when they are tied around something like a
railing.
There are
many creative ways to attach the ramp, but you must be sure that
the ropes are not spread too far apart—they should be parallel
or come together at one point—and that the back and wings have a
straight/vertical surface to brace snuggly against, and that the
force is downward (diagonal vectors) so it does not pull purely
horizontally (or it will pull out.)
There is
no one right way to install a Skamper-Ramp, however, two
criteria are critical:
1) a few inches of the round "nose" end need to be
submerged
so that the white ramp breaks the water surface and the animal
can see the ramp leading out while swimming, even in stress; and
2) the open-box end of the ramp needs to be as snug as
possible against a "rigid" flat, vertical wall so that when a
critter or pet gets on the "nose" end the Skamper-Ramp has
something to brace against.
It is the open-box end that provides rigidity and robustness,
especially when braced against a vertical element—that’s what
makes it work.
The most
important point about the installation is to have the Skamper-Ramp
as snug to the
pool wall as possible, while still having a few inches of
the “nose” end of the ramp submerged. To accomplish that there
is a separate set of holes for (re)threading the connection rope
(below the Skamper-Ramp logo) if need be. This will help if it
seems that the ramp wobbles too much, or if there is an overhang
or deep coping.
Q. How long
will it last?
A. As
stated above, the ramp is made of polymers that are some of the
strongest, most durable materials available that float. In
addition, the polymers used are UV- and chemical- resistant.
Because of this, we know it will hold up for a very long
time—one has been installed in a pool in Charleston, SC for
over 5 years, still looks very much like the day it was
installed and is going strong. While we can't make
guarantees, the ramp should last a very long time!
Q. Are there
other uses besides commercial or residential pools?
A.
Our
customers are creative in their applications. Many people are
buying Skamper-Ramps for their floating docks, fixed docks, and
boats (from the stern transom or with the swim platforms); to
use for thin ice rescue; for indoor ramps to litter boxes or
furniture for very small or light weight animals; and in
stock
tanks and water troughs in pastures and remote ranch land.
Hotels, motels, municipal water system reservoirs can all take
advantage of Skamper-Ramp's drowning prevention to keep water
free of animals. Let us know yours!
Q. What
happens if I am missing a part? Is my ramp defective?
A.
No, the ramp itself is fine! To help keep costs down, the ramp
kits are assembled at the SC Vocational Rehabilitation
Department's Charleston Training Centre. You can imagine how
tedious it is to count out all the nuts, bolts, washers, d-ring
clips, rope, etc for each kit and assemble it
(!)....Occasionally there are mistakes and parts are miscounted
or missing. Having a ramp with a missing part
does not mean
it is defective. Just let us know as soon as you discover a part
is missing and we will send the replacement part out by first
class US mail, so that you can assemble your ramp and put it to
use.
Q. What is the Warranty/Return Policy?
A.
Skamper-Ramp® accepts returns for product failure due to
manufacturer defect only. Skamper Industries does not accept
returns for unused/untried ramps. We offer a one-year
manufacturers warranty against product defect. This is why we
ask you to complete the warranty card that comes with your ramp!
If, however, your product arrives and is missing any of the
listed parts, this is an oversight by our packaging facility.
Please contact us immediately and the missing parts will be
mailed to you at no charge via USPS First Class.
If your ramp fails or breaks, please contact the vendor
from whom you purchased it to receive return instructions and an
RMA number. You are responsible for shipping charges
back to Skamper Industries for inspection. Skamper Industries
will inspect the product and notify the vendor if the return
qualifies as a warranty/product defect return. If the ramp is
defective, a replacement will be sent to you at no charge.
Returns due to manufacturer defect/failure must adhere to the
above conditions and in addition:
· The product
must be returned is in its original packaging, with all
component parts
If you have questions regarding installation or assembly you
will find more details in the FAQs portion at
www.skamper-ramp.com.
Remember, dogs must be trained to use the ramp!! Other animals
do not......
NOTE: Shipping & handling fees are not refundable, however your
replacement ramp will be sent at no cost to you.
Q. Can I contact you if I still have questions?
A.
Of course!!! Call us or contact
us with questions regarding
installation, applications, modifications or any
other information. It will be helpful if you can tell us who
you purchased your Skamper-Ramp from. |
