Super Skamper-Ramp, Pet Safety Ramp, Pool Pet Ramp
Innovative New Safety Product
SKR3 - Super Skamper-Ramp®: This
patented, award-winning ramp allows larger/longer-stride pets up to 200
lbs to exit the water by themselves. It not only protects them against
drowning, but also allows them to safely and less stressfully get out of
a pool, back on a dock or aboard most boats on their own. Super Skamper-Ramp
is an all important safeguard, since no matter how vigilant the
pet-owner, accidents can and do happen and pets will end up in the water
by just by being curious or chased!
This is the size that must be used if desired to help pets of any size
get back aboard a boat or onto a dock since the longer length is
required to break the water’s surface.
The assembled size of this lightweight (~5.9 lbs), robust ramp is 42” x
13.5” x 6.5.” 100% Made in the U.S.A.,. it is a recyclable blowmolded
plastic that is UV- and chemical–resistant.
Dogs are the only animals that should be trained how to/familiarized
with use of the ramp.
The Super Skamper-Ramp is safe even for all vinyl-lined, permanent pools
and comes with all assembly and installation parts and —with the
exception of the two anchor bolts/screws used to attach the D-ring clips
to the pool deck because they are dictated by the type of deck surface.
For frequent and emergency use both.
Q. Why does anyone need a Skamper-Ramp?
A. A. In the US 71% of households own a pet – and it breaks out
to almost 75 million dogs, 88+ million cats and 24+ million
small pets in those households.
Did you also know that the odds of a pet drowning (per the
American Pet Association) are 1 in every 1,028 in the US alone?
And of the 71% of households with a pet, 53% of also have a pool
and/or spa (per the APPMA 2007/2008 survey)?
There over 22 % of U.S. households have more than 1 dog, and
there are and more than 19% of U.S. households [avma.org 2007]
have two or more cats?!? That means that over 41% of us have an
average of 2 dogs and/or cats, and spend a lot of money to buy
and care for them.
For instance, their health and safety counts for $24.5 billion
in annual vet bills [avma.org, 2007] and $65+ billion annual pet
product sales [appma.org, 2006]. Pets and their safety are big
business in the US!
Layers of safety protection are as important for pets as it is
for humans. So if you don’t think there is a need or it is a
problem, then know that pet safety was one of the fastest
growing segments in the pet industry even before the recent pet
food scare and now it is an even faster growing segment.
Q. Why does it work?
A. Skamper-Ramp is an escape ramp: a means of preventing animals
and pets from drowning in a water entrapment. It is a "keep it
simple" solution to a very major problem – preventable animal
drowning – so it is a very simple-looking product. But behind
that simplicity is a lot of science and testing. The science is
that ALL living beings – domestic or wild; bugs, animals, or
humans; colorblind or not – see the color white. As long as the
Skamper-Ramp is installed so that a few inches of the "nose"
(curved) end are under water and the ramp breaks the water’s
surface, the animal will see it. The other end of the ramp is
like a box top, and it is that "open-box-top" end that must be
very snug to 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 and stability for an animal to "skamper" out on the
ramp.
NOTE: For optimal performance, it is important, from time to
time with an SKR1 model or SKR2 model, to check and make sure
the nuts and bolts are tight and the rope is taut so the ramp is
snug to the pool wall - even though this ramp is meant only for
infrequent, emergency use.
If your customer plans on regular, frequent use of the ramp by
your pet or critters, you should sell the SKR3, Super Skamper-Ramp
(with or without the extension), which snaps together but still
must be installed wherever it is used.
Q. You say that your Super Skamper-Ramp
floats on the water surface rather than the nose end
penetrating. What is the problem?
A. As it turns out, we’ve designed it a bit too well for certain
types of pool applications! If the customer’s pool water level
is so high that the ramp floats rather than penetrates the water
at the nose end, tell them to take a pencil and punch the
silicone plugs out of the mold holes at the end of the ramp. We
plugged them for buoyancy, but you might want a little water to
enter the nose end so it submerges.
Q. What about vinyl-liner pools and
above ground pools?
A. Either ramp works well for permanent, vinyl liner pools -
in-ground or above-ground - by making sure that an animal’s
claws don't touch puncture the pool. If the customer's deck
surface overhangs the pool wall, they will need to 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 and closest to
the side wall.
It will not cut through or tear the vinyl. For peace of mind,
you could put a double layer of vinyl on the side wall of the
pool where the ramp will hang if you can get some from their
vinyl pool contractor, or tape the edges of the ramp with vinyl
repair tape, but neither should be necessary.
If your customer has a soft-sided above-ground pool, you can
make adaptations to their deck (primarily affixing a 1x10x18
marine 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. What is it made of?
A. Skamper-Ramps® are blowmolded polyethylene for the 2008 SKR3,
Super Skamper-Ramp, or fabricated box-extruded, PP
(polypropylene) for the original SKR1 ramp. They float and tare
chemical- and UV-resistant, rugged, and recyclable. For this
reason they will not yellow, mildew, grow barnacles or become
“scummy” over time. After 6 years of research and in-pool
testing we have found that these materials have the longest
life-span, are most economical, lightest weight while providing
the greatest strength-to-weight ratio along with robustness, are
most reliable, are most versatile to use, and are easiest to
assemble.
The SKR3 was developed to withstand frequent use by pets and
larger dogs and simply snaps together. The original Skamper-Ramp
is for emergency or infrequent use, preventing critter and small
animal drownings.
The ramps come complete with all the necessary assembly hardware
for proper installation.
Note: Hardware for attaching the D-ring-clips to the pool deck
HAS NOT been supplied due to the wide variety of deck types and
materials. Please consult with your local hardware store or pool
service company to make the appropriate selection. We suggest a
1/4" pan-head stainless steel screw that is 1 3/8" long and a
plastic or lead concrete anchor for sinking into your deck.
Please note that
Poolandspa.com only sells the SKR3
Q. How long will it last?
A. As stated above, the ramp is made of blowmolded polyethylene
or box-extruded polypropylene--some of the strongest, most
durable materials available that can float. In addition, the
materials 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 great and is going strong. While we can't make guarantees,
it should last a very long time!
NOTE: For optimal performance it is important, from time to
time, the nuts and bolts should be checked to ensure they are
tight and the rope is taut so the ramp is snug to the pool wall.
Item
Retail
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SKR3 - Super Scamper-Ramp Size: 42” x 13.5” x 6.5”
