Arthritic dog and owner needs lightweight gang plank

[buchanan]

Our last narrow boat gang plank was wooden and heavy. Both me and our beloved labrador are arthritic and when we need to go ashore on various awkward river banks for a needed walk, we need an alternative to a heavy wooden ramp. Some folding dog ramps look suitable but we need a forum contributors recommendation before shelling out more than £50 for an item designed for car owners. Any ideas please. PS we won't build our own.

[AndyV]

An aluminium ladder of the right length just needs a strip of ply cut to fit between the rails. Since the rungs are quite close together the ply doesn't need to be very thick. To keep the weight down you don't even need to fix the ply to the ladder, so you have two lighter items to lift into position.

[mrsmelly]

we have a purpose built alluminium gangplank that came with the boat I dont think its particularily lightweight though. Please dont throw sticks for your dog we nearly lost one of our dogs who had a horrendous mouth infection cause by a stick.

Edited February 25, 2017 by mrsmelly

[mross]

http://www.budgetchandlery.com/gang-plank-4512-p.asp?gclid=Cj0KEQiA88TFBRDYrOPKuvfY2pIBEiQA97Z8MVjFLtELr-kCVcTUoHNENL99CUPT_R2e9pNwhHrn-iEaAmuF8P8HAQ

You would have to phone to see what it's made of and what it weighs.  Most aluminium ones seem to be over £300.  What sort of budget do you have?

[WotEver]

34 minutes ago, mross said:

http://www.budgetchandlery.com/gang-plank-4512-p.asp?gclid=Cj0KEQiA88TFBRDYrOPKuvfY2pIBEiQA97Z8MVjFLtELr-kCVcTUoHNENL99CUPT_R2e9pNwhHrn-iEaAmuF8P8HAQ

You would have to phone to see what it's made of and what it weighs.  Most aluminium ones seem to be over £300.  What sort of budget do you have?

We had one of those. They're not very light. 

[haggis]

I borrowed a ramp for helping my old dog get into the car but I found it very heavy to use - it had to be opened out before being put in place then you had to fold it up again and it did take up space when not in use. On our Sea Otter we have an alluminium ladder with ply (sanded) on top and this is a much better method for old dogs _ and me - getting on and off the boat. Another plus is that it lives on the boat roof and is easy to deploy, being light. 

 

haggis

[Dinz]

I use one similar to this

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Aluminium-FOLDING-LOADING-Motorcycles-Loading/dp/B00KRDNXCM/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1488019609&sr=8-5&keywords=loading+ramps

Had for several years with no issues

Or this?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/PawHut-Folding-Bifold-Portable-183Lx36Wx5Tcm/dp/B0184Y2R4U/ref=sr_1_52?ie=UTF8&qid=1488022997&sr=8-52&keywords=loading+ramps

Edited February 25, 2017 by Dinz
addition

[cuthound]

I had one made up from a section of broken aluminium ladder and aluminium chequerplate.

Ladder was free, and a local engineering firm provided the chequerplate and bent it to a "spring" fit between the stiles for £65.

[Slim]

Google Miracle Leisure (products??) ,sorry don't know how to do the linky thing. They do a an aluminium one for £110. It's basically a ladder with removable checkerplate surface (held on with Terry Clips) . I chose it over one with a hinge as it seemed more robust. It's fairly light and lives on the roof.

 

 

Frank

[rusty69]

2 minutes ago, Slim said:

Google Miracle Leisure (products??) ,sorry don't know how to do the linky thing. They do a an aluminium one for £110. It's basically a ladder with removable checkerplate surface (held on with Terry Clips) . I chose it over one with a hinge as it seemed more robust. It's fairly light and lives on the roof.

 

 

Frank

https://www.miracleleisureproducts.co.uk/rescue-ladder.html

[Slim]

Thanks.

How do you do that?

 

Frank

 

[rusty69]

2 minutes ago, Slim said:

Thanks.

How do you do that?

 

Frank

 

Go to the web page,and copy and paste URL from the address bar.

Edited February 25, 2017 by rusty69

[Slim]

Thanks, I'll give it a try,

 

 

Frank

[Gardner]

I carry an aluminium folding motorcycle loading ramp. Cost under £50. Explore this option.

[mross]

Here's a ladder that converts to a gangplank https://www.miracleleisureproducts.co.uk/rescue-ladder.html

[rusty69]

1 minute ago, mross said:

Here's a ladder that converts to a gangplank https://www.miracleleisureproducts.co.uk/rescue-ladder.html

Already linked above

[NickF]

I use one of these for my 12 year old black lab

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Dog-pet-ramp-for-cars-weighs-11lbs-supports-200lbs/172530240766?_trksid=p2045573.c100505.m3226&_trkparms=aid%3D555014%26algo%3DPL.DEFAULT%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20151005190540%26meid%3D4fbc632e8fe344219c40fdf624000c5a%26pid%3D100505%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D1%26

I use it on the car but it should be fine on a boat, light weight , easy to handle but definitely only for dog use not human use!

 

[lockedout]

On 2/25/2017 at 14:57, rusty69 said:

https://www.miracleleisureproducts.co.uk/rescue-ladder.html

We have had one of these for a couple of years now, bought at Crick with a little bit of discount.

It is still pretty heavy I have to say but both the dogs and the Mrs are comfortable using it, it is slightly wider than a traditional plank I think so it doesn't actually sit on the plank holders, but it has little rubber feet which lft it off the roof enough to prevent water sitting.

ETA - please be careful throwing sticks for dogs, not only infections but physical injury including serious mouth and throat injuries.

Edited March 1, 2017 by lockedout
Old age??

[alan_fincher]

On 25/02/2017 at 09:23, mross said:

http://www.budgetchandlery.com/gang-plank-4512-p.asp?gclid=Cj0KEQiA88TFBRDYrOPKuvfY2pIBEiQA97Z8MVjFLtELr-kCVcTUoHNENL99CUPT_R2e9pNwhHrn-iEaAmuF8P8HAQ

You would have to phone to see what it's made of and what it weighs.  Most aluminium ones seem to be over £300.  What sort of budget do you have?

Great product description..... NOT!

Quote

Length: 79 (6ft 7)Width: 8

If the 8 (with no units) is an overall width of 8 inches, then maybe some big arthritic dogs might struggle.  Ours are none-arthritic, but reluctant to walk anything over water that is that narrow.

[mross]

18 minutes ago, alan_fincher said:

Great product description..... NOT!

If the 8 (with no units) is an overall width of 8 inches, then maybe some big arthritic dogs might struggle.  Ours are none-arthritic, but reluctant to walk anything over water that is that narrow.

I emailed then.  It's steel and weighs 15kg.

[tony ford]

I am about to use a discarded aluminium ladder and  put some of that Finnish waterproof board on it so it acts as a gang plank on one side and ladder on the other using cable ties to secure the two together.  I cost me nothing, except to buy some ties - building firms usually discard old ladders - that's where mine came from - and can get more discarded ladders if anyone would like one - just the problem of transporting from Germany where I live at the moment