# Decking and ammo cans



## lambardi (Sep 20, 2014)

I'm a pretty new boat owner, been rafting on others boats for a couple years, and just bought/built out mine at the end of last season, so feel free to take my advice with a grain of salt. 

I rock a couple 50 cal ammo cans strapped to the decking on my cat. I just run a 2" strap through the handles and then down through the frame. It works great they are very stable and reasonably easy to secure/remove. Obviously rocket boxes are much bigger, and honestly I'm not sure how stable you could get them up on the decking with just a strap. You might have to build in some sort of short wall coming up off your decking. You could get it stable if it's lying on its side, but if this rocket box is holding a groover, I wouldn't recommend that. 

In short, I'm not sure how to make that work well. I carry a rocket box in a DRE sling that fits into the front bay of my frame where my crew sit. Just having one there doesn't interfere with their leg room at all, and it even gives the passengers a little table in between them. I haven't tried it yet, but I think you could even put two there and still have adequate room for feet. 

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## scooby450 (Dec 4, 2008)

I mount four ammo cans on my deck. Let me know if you want to see the deck and how to mount them.http://www.mountainbuzz.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=9892&stc=1&d=1431963165


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## kazak4x4 (May 25, 2009)

If it helps, here is my setup. I usually put 2 20mm cans, 1 30mm can and 2 6gal water jags in the front bay getting covered with a table and pacos










Link to my photo album of my boat:

https://www.facebook.com/kazak/media_set?set=a.1135808516983.2020162.1280444217&type=3


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## scooby450 (Dec 4, 2008)

scooby450 said:


> I mount four ammo cans on my deck. Let me know if you want to see the deck and how to mount them.http://www.mountainbuzz.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=9892&stc=1&d=1431963165


Yeah, Monday...I meant floor


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## Sleepless (Sep 8, 2011)

kazak4x4 said:


> If it helps, here is my setup. I usually put 2 20mm cans, 1 30mm can and 2 6gal water jags in the front bay getting covered with a table and pacos
> 
> 
> 
> ...


That's how I prefer to carry them as well. For this trip I'll be hauling two coolers so I have to get creative. I saw pics of your boat a couple years ago and I modeled my set up around yours!


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## lambardi (Sep 20, 2014)

Haha, floor, that makes way more sense. 

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## fat_sam (Jun 5, 2009)

Hey Kazak,
What is that rubber material you use to level out your drop bag?


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## kazak4x4 (May 25, 2009)

What's your boat? I was able to do the same in my stern, I do have a dropped floor in my stern to put fire pans and propane tanks on the floor.


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## kazak4x4 (May 25, 2009)

fat_sam said:


> Hey Kazak,
> What is that rubber material you use to level out your drop bag?


This:

https://www.farmtek.com/farm/suppli...ent-ft_poultry_fencing_flooring;pgha2215.html

It's more like hard plastic


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## Sleepless (Sep 8, 2011)

kazak4x4 said:


> What's your boat? I was able to do the same in my stern, I do have a dropped floor in my stern to put fire pans and propane tanks on the floor.


Maravia Williwaw 2


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## Sleepless (Sep 8, 2011)

scooby450 said:


> Yeah, Monday...I meant floor


 it is for sure


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## Osseous (Jan 13, 2012)

Anything you strap to your rails is a potential collision point when you get ejected. I have a numb lower leg from a collision with my frame- so now I take that into consideration when I lay things out. "Rig to flip" should mean you don't slam into hard metal corners immediately before taking a deep sustaining breath.

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## wayne23 (Dec 30, 2014)

Hey sleepless do you have a metal or wood frame


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## MrScamp (Mar 19, 2013)

I don't have any pictures handy, but I have a rocket on each side of my cockpit. I have plywood flooring for the cockpit and sideboards. I rigged short loop straps with one end attached to the floor and one end to the sideboards. The rockets sit on the floor and are held in with the two of these loop straps. I can rig and derig the rockets super quick. The rockets sit about the same height as the sideboard decks. I painted the top of the rockets with textured "sand" spray paint which makes them nice and grippy for walking on top of.

Good luck!


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## Sleepless (Sep 8, 2011)

wayne23 said:


> Hey sleepless do you have a metal or wood frame
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPad using Mountain Buzz


Aluminum double rail


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## Bkgarlington (Jan 18, 2021)

Sleepless said:


> Getting ready to build my decking for my raft and was looking for some advice. How are you guys strapping down ammo cans? I want to be able to lash a rocket box down on each rail as far towards the back as possible. Any advice and pics would be greatly appreciated.
> 
> Actually, any tips on any phase of the build would be fantastic! Dont be shy!
> 
> ...


I wanted to be able to get into the cans by my dry box seat so I welded loops to put a strap through then I can open the can easily. The other cans up by the cooler have a strap through the handle. Still fairly simple to get into to.


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## Will Amette (Jan 28, 2017)

I thought about adding loops to ammo cans, but I'd still want a strap over the top to prevent the unlikely event of an accidental opening. A friend flipped a boat, and his ammo can opened, dumped out all the contents, and managed to close. It was still dry inside, but no contents.

I also worry that those little spot welds that hold the handle on might not be strong enough to keep the box in place under some unenviable situations. I've actually started putting my ammo in my gear pile. I transfer out a few things I might need on the water and put them in a Captain's box.


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## markhusbands (Aug 17, 2015)

"A friend flipped a boat, and his ammo can opened, dumped out all the contents, and managed to close. It was still dry inside, but no contents."

Hmmm. I might have an alternative explanation.


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