| Blue Ridge Studios Life Saving Skamper-Ramp ************************************************************* Each year, in the U.S. alone, over 50,000 family pets drowned needlessly in swimming pools and walled lakes, along with countless millions of other animals. Skamper-Ramp is a simple, inexpensive solution to prevent these deaths. Whether it’s a frog, squirrel or a pet, you will have no more morning surprises with Skamper-Ramp on duty. It is the animal rescue device that will help protect pets and wild animals from accidental drowning whether or not you are in the area.
If you have flotation vests or safety turtle alarms or any of several other safety products at your pool, Skamper-Ramp is a natural partner to own. Skamper Ramp is the only water rescue device on the market that protects animals from drowning—even if no one is home!! The Skamper-Ramp Big Dog when used with boats and docks will help them actually get out of the water without the aid of their owner, not just keep them afloat. This simple white, corrugated, recyclable, polypropylene plastic ramp attaches to the side of the pool, walled pond/lake, most docks, and even many boats. Because all living beings see 550 nm (white), they can see it, day or night, and they “skamper” out on the ramp.
Frequently Asked Questions and Their AnswersQ. Why does it work? A. Skamper-Ramp is an escape ramp: a means of preventing animals and pets from drowning.
The science is that ALL living beings - domestic or wild; bugs, animals or humans; whether they are colorblind or not - see 550nm wavelength, which is 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 surface, the animal will see it. The other end of the ramp is like a box lid, and it is that "open-box-lid" end that must be snug to a vertical wall (whether it's a pool, floating or fixed dock, walled pond, spa, stern/swim platform 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. Q. What size do I need? A. We suggest that the smaller Skamper-Ramp be used for animals up to 45 lbs - however we have had 120 lb sheepdogs go out on the small ramp; all that happens is it becomes more vertical, and may even crease, but it will still work. You can bend but you can't actually break the ramp or its flexible plastic wing strips.
The Super Skamper-Ramp ™ is best used for larger animals, up to 200+ lbs, for floating docks or houseboats, or with boat swim platforms. Of course boats have more variety than pools, so they often require a bit more ingenuity to install (but where there is a will there is a way!)
Those who wish more buoyancy to use with a larger or infirmed animal can try securing flotation “noodles” on the underside of the ramp, away from the “nose” end that must be submerged by a few inches. But remember it is the box end that is sturdiest and most rigid. For people with very small animals, the larger ramp can be used as an indoor ramp for pets weighing less than 25 lbs to get up onto, or down from furniture.
For people on farms and
ranches, you can anchor an original (SKR1) ramp in livestock/horse water
troughs so that any animals that might fall in won't drown. One less chore
for the busy farmer/rancher, and peace of mind that there is good water for
animals to drink. Q. What are some anchoring methods? A. There are many creative ways to attach the ramp, you just want to ensure that the ropes are not spread too far away from being parallel, that the back and wings have a surface to rest 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 - two criteria are critical: 1) a few inches of the round "nose" end need to be submerged so that the white breaks the water surface so the animal will see the white while swimming, even in stress; and 2) it needs to be snug to a "rigid" flat, vertical wall so that when a critter or pet gets on the 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 makes it work. The most important point about the installation is to have the Skamper-Ramp as snug to the pool edge as possible, while still have a few inches of the “nose” end of the ramp under water. To accomplish that there are two sets of holes for threading the connection rope through (one above the Skamper-Ramp name and one below) in order to accommodate deep copings or flush edges Q. What about vinyl pools? A. Either ramp works well for vinyl liner pools, making sure that an animal’s claws don't touch puncture the pool. Make sure that, if you have a deck surface that overhangs the pool wall by more than 2-3”, you re-lace the ramp’s rope to the set of holes below the Skamper-Ramp logo so that the ramp can be snuggled 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 your vinyl pool contractor, or tape the edges of the ramp with vinyl repair tape, but neither should be necessary. Q. What is it made of? A. Skamper-Ramps are made from 8mm, chemical- and UV-resistant, recyclable, box-corrugated, PP (polypropylene). For this reason they will not yellow or become “scummy” over time. The ramps come complete with nylon rope, nuts, bolts, washers, and wing strips - as well the two d-ring clips for anchoring. After 6 years of research and in-pool testing we have found that the box-corrugated plastic has the longest life-span, is most economical, is lightest weight while providing the greatest strength-to-weight ratio along with robustness, is most reliable, is most versatile to use, and is easiest to assemble. Q. How long will it last? A. We know it will hold up for 6 or more years (we guess 10 or more, but we haven't had them out that long to know for sure)--we have ones installed that have lasted 6 and are still going strong, Skamper-Ramp has not been around long enough to determine an end-life beyond that. Q. Are there other uses besides 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 for very small or light weight animals; and in water troughs in pastures and remote ranchland (gives critters that get in for a drink a way out, rather than drowning and polluting the water so animals won’t drink it). Hotels, motels, municipal water system reservoirs can all take advantage of Skamper-Ramp's drowning prevention.
Q. What happens if I am missing a part? Is my ramp defective? A. No, the ramp is made of polypropylene because of its solar and chemical resistance and especially because it is one of the most rugged, recyclable materials around. In order to keep costs down, we have our ramp kits assembled at the SC Vocational Rehabilitation Department's 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. What are some other uses?
Horses Won't Drink Polluted Water - Ranchers have less maintenance hassle by using a small ramp to help small critter out of watering areas.
The smaller SKR1 Skamper-Ramp can be used for animals up to 45 lbs Discounted to $47.95* + $9.00 S&H [ To Purchase ]
SKR3 Super Skamper-Ramp ™ - pets
up to 200+lbsOr for use with most boats and docks! The SKR3 Super Skamper-Ramp™ is best used for larger animals, up to 200+ lbs The SKR3 is blow-molded polyethylene It is UV- and chemical-resistant and lightweight. Because it is blow-molded it is even more robust--can hold pets over 200 lbs (100 kgs!)--and is perfect for any size animal even with frequent use. The new ramp snaps together—no more screwing nylon nuts, bolts or wing strips. Assembled ramp weight is 5.75 lbs Measuring 42” long (or 25” if used without the extension). Discounted to $98.95* + $12.00 S&H [ To Purchase ]
Skamper-Ramp® Receives American Pet Association Product Seal of Approval Charleston, SC: Skamper-Ramp® dba Skamper Industries, LLC manufacturer of the Skamper-Ramp® recently received the highly respected American Pet Association’s (APA) Seal of Approval for its water-escape ramp that prevents animals from drowning. Founded in 1991, the APA is an “independent national humane organization dedicated to effectively promoting responsible pet ownership.” The organization offers programs and services to help pets coexist with their owners safely and in a humane environment. The APA reviews pet products, testing them for reliability, ease of use, structural design integrity, durability and actual benefits to pets and/or their owners. The review is completely unbiased, allowing consumers to buy those products with the APA Seal of Approval with confidence. This is especially important for a unique new product like the Skamper-Ramp. According to the APA, “Skamper-Ramp gives pet owners and animal lovers a means of safeguarding against unnecessary pet-panic in the water or death due to drowning. It gives them with peace-of-mind since the ramp allows animals to safely exit the water on their own, without any assistance.” The APA went on to say “We are proud to give our Seal of Approval and recommend Skamper-Ramp to any pet owner with or living near water access, since pets are often considered important family members who require the same protection as young children. The fact that tens of thousands of pets drown every year is a testament to the need for a device like Skamper-Ramp and to be aware not only of the danger water can pose but also of steps owners can take to prevent this unnecessary and preventable form of death. We especially like the fact that the Skamper-Ramp works by itself, since so many drownings occur at night when owners are usually unavailable to help them.” -more- Skamper-Ramp is patented and available is two sizes, “regular” for animals under 45 lbs., and the Skamper-Ramp Big Dog™, which provides a safe, less stressful way for pets over 45 lbs. to exit a pool or for any size animal to get back on most docks and some boats. Jay Waddell, managing partner of Skamper Industries, points out that the ramps are constructed entirely of box-corrugated, heavy duty plastic (polypropylene) giving them an extremely high strength-to-weight ratio. Polypropylene is highly durable, robust and chemical- and UV-resistant as well as cost-effective. The ramp works in part because it is white—the one color all living things can see and angles down into the water, placing it at their eye level. Because Skamper Industries is devoted to pet safety and specifically pet water safety in pools, it is a member of the APPMA (American Pet Products Manufacturers Association), PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), APSP (Association of Pool and Spa Professionals) and an IPG (Independent Pool Group-Canada) product associate. Skamper-Ramp has twice been honored as one of the “Top 50 Readers Choice Products” by Pool & Spa Magazine readers (2004 and 2006) and was selected as one of the “10 Lowcountry Innovators” by the Charleston Regional Business Journal. Along with the APA, the ramp is endorsed by veterinarians across the United States and has been featured on a number of national television programs, including Good Morning America, The Early Show, and Animal Planet. It was one of only 11 products chosen to be included in the nationally syndicated Animal Radio show segment recorded during the SuperZoo pet show in Las Vegas last September. The product is also slated to appear on an upcoming HGTV Outdoor Living special on April 22, 2007. ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~
[ To Purchase ] [ Blue Ridge Studios Home ]
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Dogs
Cats
Possums
Frogs
(from the stern transom or with the swim platforms)
SKR1 Skamper-Ramp® - animals up to 45 lbs
Twice Voted Readers' Choice Top 50 Award (2004, 2006) -
Pool & Spa News magazine
The
Pet-Saver Life Jacket
High performance dog flotation device for boating, water sport adventures and other outdoor activities with dogs. Provides flotation and ultimate buoyancy with bright orange color for easy visibility. Design allows fast size adjustment and a flexible comfortable fit. Water repellent neoprene and cordura materials provide warmth and protection from abrasion. Available in five sizes to fit most dogs.
Convenient top grab handle to make easy work of dog-overboard rescues. ~
Bright orange for easy visibility ~
Quick-release buckles and adjustable straps
The Pet-Saver Life Jacket comes in five sizes:
EXTRA
SMALL - Up to 18 lbs. with a girth of 15-19" $19.00 + $12.00 S&H
SMALL - 15-25 lbs. with a girth of 19-24" $23.00 + $12.00
S&H
MEDIUM - 20-50 lbs. with a girth of 22-29" $29.00 + $13.00
S&H
LARGE - 40-70 lbs. with a girth of 26-35" $35.00 + $13.00
S&H
EXTRA LARGE - Over 70 lbs. with a girth of 31-42" $41.00
+ $13.00 S&H
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