FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

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. Easy to assemble, lightweight, strong and inexpensive.

Because it is made of heavy-duty plastic, it is a deceptively simple-looking product. But behind the design there is a lot of engineering, science, and testing. The primary science is that ALL living beings - domestic or wild; bugs, animals, or humans; colorblind or not - see at the wavelength that is the color white. When trapped, day or night, they see it and go to it for escape. Skamper-Ramp provides peace-of-mind to pet owners and animal lovers since it provides protection 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. The "open-box-top" end (closest to the pool wall) must be very snug against a vertical wall — whether it's a pool, floating or fixed dock, walled pond, spa, stern of a boat, or water troughs in pastures and remote ranchland — in order to provide the rigidity necessary for an animal to "skamper" out on the ramp.

You'll notice the ramp doesn't have a decorative pattern – animals don’t see colors. Skamper Ramp is the only water rescue device on the market that provides animals with an escape from drowning—allowing them to exit the water on their own!!

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 it's 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 usage, the Original or Big Dog versions 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 vinyl pools as well, with totally smooth edges so it truly 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 it for soft-sided, non-permanent, above-ground pools. However, you could try to adapt your deck (primarily by affixing a 1" x 10" 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?

A. Because Skamper-Ramp was originally designed for use in pools, boat installation often requires some ingenuity, and awareness that chop may “kick it up”. Outboard motors, are the easiest. 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 hook 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 stands higher in the water, 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!

Q. What is it made of?

A. The new Super Skamper-Ramp is blowmolded using white polyethylene, and is equally as chemical and solar resistant as the original and Big Dog versions which are made from recyclable box-extruded polypropylene that is UV- and chemical resistant.  For this reason none of the Skamper-Ramp models will become yellow or “scummy” over time.  The fabrication method ensures 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, d-ring clips and washers for the Super Skamper-Ramp; and nylon rope, nuts, bolts, washers, wing strips, and stainless steel d-ring clips for screwing into the decking. The only additional part you will need and have to purchase separately is the 1/4" stainless steel pan-head screw about 1.5" long (and concrete anchor) required by your pool deck surface.

The original Skamper-Ramp is fabricated from 8mm polypropylene while the Skamper-Ramp Big Dog version is fabricated completely of 10mm polypropylene, and Super Skamper-Ramp is blowmolded polyethylene.

Q. What size is right for me to use and what are other applications?

A. The regular Skamper-Ramp is for animals under 45 lbs.

The Skamper-Ramp Big Dog™ version is for pets 40 - 70 lbs, or for small animals if used in conjunction with most docks and many boats are truly just escape ramps. The newly designed Super Skamper-Ramp is meant to endure more wear and tear than just an occasional escape and is even stronger than the Skamper-Ramp Big Dog.

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 the original size, allowing the ramp to do what it is supposed to do—prevent drowning. Because so many customers asked for it, we made the long versions (Skamper-Ramp Big Dog and Super Skamper-Ramp) for dogs that weigh more—because of their longer shoulder to hip lengths. And when we found that most peoples pets were not only using it for escape but for regular usage, we had to strengthen it yet again. Even so, the original size is still the most commonly used for smaller pets and/or wildlife that fall/are chased into a pool or water hazard.

You can bend but you can't actually break the polypropylene ramp or its flexible plastic wing strips. It may not always look pretty but it will provide a means of escape.

For people with very small pets, like toy and teacup breeds, you might feel more comfortable putting white toweling on the ramp and lacing it on the underside so there isn’t a chance they will slip their leg into the holes. You might also find you can use the larger ramp as an indoor ramp for pets weighing less than 25 lbs, 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 regular Skamper-Ramp in livestock/equine water troughs 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 the Skamper-Ramp Big Dog 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 Skamper-Ramp Big Dog tried to the cover anchor along the middle of the narrow side, reaching as far to the center as possible, helps a dog or animal that may go onto the sagging cover, have a way to get out.

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 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, 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 and stabilizing wing-strips that provide 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 box-extruded polypropylene (plastic)—one of the strongest, most durable materials available that floats. In addition, the polypropylene used is 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 water troughs in pastures and remote ranchland. 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 Center. You can imagine how tedious it is to count out all the nuts, bolts, washers, 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. 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.