Swim deck for dog ladder?

Yukon Mike

Well-known member
After years of putting it off and only one week to the opener I've decided it is now or never to do something about a dog deck or ladder. Over the years I've looked at many different things out there, but I'm left wondering why not a permanently fixed swim deck looking thing on the transom? I'd like something solid enough for me to step out on to to pull weeds off the prop when need be, and big enough for my dog to climb in on. I've been looking at the aluminum swim deck on my neighbor's boat all summer and wondering why I don't make something similar for my 14' boat. A pair of brackets something like this with a nice red cedar deck on it. These two are $40 in stainless steel.

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So why does a dog ramp have to be on the side of a boat? The odd time I've shot divers out of a boat the dog was always inside with me, usually up on the casting deck in the bow.

Mike

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Mike I used to run a herters dog doc out the back of my 16' v bow. Worked great. I did not perm mount it down cause of to much
to hit in the water and mud issues. What I like better is the modified dog doc that I now use with the underwater step. for that deep
water hunting its a BLESSING for gordy for sure. Gettin up on that platform by himself without it was much more difficult.

something to think about anyways.. maybe a hinged 2nd step off the swim platform?

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Mike,

On the Stacraft which I sold, I had a swim platform similar to what you are considering. I never used the boat for hunting but my dog Jack went with me fishing all the time. He used the swim platform just fine when getting back into the boat, even learned to "shake" while standing in the splashwell area before jumping on into the cockpit.

An extra step does help but is not entirely necessary. As long as your dog can get their front feet on the platform, placing your hand on the back of their head will give them the added leverage to pull themselves right in. I'ts just like any thing else you dog learns to do, practice.

BTW Mine was mounted as low as possible and ended up right at the waterline when at rest.
 
That's what I'm thinking Dave. If she can get her feet up on a gunnel Jenny can pull her way in if I put my hand behind her head, but a platform at or below waterline at rest would make her life alot easier. Plus she's not going to be a young dog forever. Poor old Sara came for a boat ride a few days ago and hasn't moved much since. I think it must hurt a lot to be a 13 yr old dog. She came for a short grouse scouting walk one day and Jenny found four spruce hens in a group, Sara never saw or smelled any of them. She was happy to be along, but it takes its toll now.

Mike
 
Mike, Not that it's anything special but here is a picture of the stern of my old Starcraft. Even tho the platform has a flip down step, I would not deploy it for the dog.

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Mike,
Last year I didnt plan for my dog to hunt. She was only 9 months old but I had done a lot of training with her before season. I took her out to a beaver pond buddy shot a bird and she did well. Anyway long story short by the end of season she was retrieving out of my boat in the deep water. I looked at comercial products but decided to build a "ramp". It fits between 2 L brackets on each side with a pin though them and through a piece of vertical 1/2 square steel. With that if can be flipped up and onto the boat and stay attached although I pull the pins and move it everytime I pull up anyway.

The nice part about the ramp and I assume an underwater step is she can get in on her own.

I plan to makes some changes to it this season. Longer drops and marine plywood for the deck. Also some paint to lighten and blend with the rest of the boat but it works well.

I will snap some pictures and post them tonight for you. I need to run her off it today anyway to "remind" her how to enter and exit the boat.

Best picture I have right now. You can kinda see how it runs infront of her. I hunt her off the bench seat on my right. ( she heals on my right) and hole in the side of the blind lets her see everything and she is lined right up on the ramp.

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Mike,
Epoxy is still a bit wet so I got ambitious and trained the pup.

Here are some pictures the one draw back is in the right wave conditions the ramp will bump the boat. It happened twice last year out of 30 hunts.

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This is a Sea Ark ramp I modified. It was a pos when I got it but designed well, just welded crappy. It bolts to the T-slot on the gunnel.

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The bottom step drops down a little more in deeper water.

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And it folds into the boat. I looked and Sea Ark apparently dosen't sell them any longer. But good ideas.

Hitch
 
Gordy on the extra step is HANDS FREE :)

he swims up and in with nothing from me at all, less stress on him and he knows he can do it on his own.
that is the main reason we went with the extra step into the drink. pull the rope from the blind and it swings up and ties off for running.

Just my opnion. From the shallower watah he just jumps on but when your 3-5 feet or more its nice not to have
to handle the wet dog in the late season.
 
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