This issue is playing a significant role in my boat search. I prefer a transom door that my dog can jump down to the swim platform and back up to the boat without much issue. Many of the aft cabin trawlers require quite a ladder to get down to the platform. Some of the boats I have looked at do not have a swim platform. These boats have side opening doors with some kind of ladder/platform that attaches in the opening. I believe that once I can easily get my dog to a swim platform, I can engineer a hinged and floating dog ramp that he can climb back onto the platform with. The real issue is getting him to the platform unassisted. I have considered building a stair box to set on the platform to get him between the elevated deck and platform. This solution effectively consumes all the available room on the platform, not to mention weight, sea worthiness, and cost. Has anyone here faced a similar challenge? If you did, how did you address it? Bill