Shock Mitigating Seat Posts

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TheOtherLine

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I recently had a chance to "test ride" this product as the manufacturer is in my town. I bought it because, as much as I love my PH, that forward helm does lend itself to a harder ride. Yes, I know I can slow down and put the tabs down, but even in that scenario, you still occasionally get those waves that will compress your vertebrae and make you say OW.

Anyway, I posted the link to the video on this product. Click the one on the left, from Ship Shape TV and notice how the post compresses and expands.
It won't help on that left to right or forward toss, but it will help on the up and down issue.

Disclaimer: I don't work for them, I don't get any kickbacks, I didn't get a free seat. I just thought I would share this with those "older" guys who might be looking for some relief.

I'm not sure if this is against the rules, but if it is, I apologize in advance.

http://www.seaspension.com/products.html
 
I like it! Thanks for posting. :wink:
(note to self... another project to add to my list :) )
 
OK. Had a chance to get the boat out the other day to test out the new shock mitigation seat posts from Seaspension.com.

I was a little apprehensive after having spent good money on what could very well have been a gimmick BUT I have to tell you, it worked perfectly.

Seas were short interval 1-2's with some 3's late afternoon. Running at about 25mph, I can tell you I never bottomed the shock in the post, the ride was very comfortable, didn't have that clenched jaw feeling, waiting for the shock wave to hit my spine! It was great.

My passenger on the other hand.....not so lucky.

I tried to get some video of the post compressing and absorbing the shock but couldn't get it. Too bumpy.

I am going to buy another post for the passenger seat, normally occupied by the Admiral.

Big expense but well worth it.

Given the ride of a typical PH configuration, I would suggest Parker consider making these a standard option.

If I had test rode the PH in rougher waters and experienced those hard landings, even in small chops, I may not have bought it. Sorry guys, but I'm getting to old to get pounded like that.... :cry:
 
are you sure a couple of pogo sticks wouldn't do the trick. :mrgreen: ............i'll check it out tomorrow.
 
grouperjim":ychgb77d said:
are you sure a couple of pogo sticks wouldn't do the trick. :mrgreen: ............i'll check it out tomorrow.

Okay. First my livewell, Now my pogo stick seats...you guys are killin' me :p
 
BradV":29h4wx2k said:
did you have to pay the full msrp that they have on their website?


No, I didn't because one of their retailers had it advertised online at a discounted price.

Since the manufacturer was local, I went there to inspect the product and they agreed to sell me the SMS at the online price.

I think what happened is that they are focusing on high end SMS's for government and commercial use. They left the consumer boating end of it to a handful of retail dealers. These dealers are all supposed to sell the SMS at MSRP in order to protect the pricing structure. But this one dealer I found online had discounted it. I don't think they really have a handle on their retail network.

Bottom line is this: Would I have paid MSRP for a product whose effectiveness was an unknown? Probably not.

Having had it for a few weeks now and enjoying my boat more because I don't kill my back, would I pay MSRP for it on my next boat? Yes.

I think they need to lower their price point to get the product out in more boats. As people buy them and their friends see them, demand will pick up and then they can raise prices.

But hey, I'm not the owner.

My advice is go online and find a dealer. See if they have any seats in inventory. If so, they probably would love to move the inventory.

All that to answer a simple question.
 
I looked at the expensive shock absorber posts and for my boating I just do not have enough rough water to justify them. But when I do, I wanted something to dull the back pain so I bought this Garelick product and mounted it under my seat:

http://garelick.com/product.php?pnumber=77000#

http://www.garelick.com/files/12.404.pdf good drawing

It is hinged and the amount of shock absorbing is adjustable by pushing the urethane blocks closer to the hinge. May also be to adjust for different weight captains.

It has taken away the hash shock for my limited rough water experiences and I am very satisfied with it.

See great price on it at a site I have never used - cheaper than the price I paid:

http://www.boatbandit.com/garelick-acti ... -6689.aspx currently showing $80...................Pete
 
Sounds and looks like a cost effective alternative for those whose back really doesn't bother them all that much or don't have the kind of chop that rattles your teeth.

With a 1" vertical damper, you don't have a lot of play before you bottom out but, if it works, it works AND it's a LOT cheaper.

Good Find!
 
Your comment on 1 inch of dampening raises some good questions. My Garelick folding foam seat absorbs some of the shock (I put the stiffer foam Parker seat to the port side on my 2120), but not enough. Wonder just how much more we need? Obviously a hard seat would be the worst for absorption.

The urethane posts when moved up near the hinge absorb the most shock for my Garelick shock absorber. Had not noticed that Garelick offers the suggestion that I could add two more urethane posts to dampen more & wonder how that might work.

Also makes we wonder how many inches an absorber like Seaspension compresses. Assume it compresses some as one sits on it then deflects varying amounts depending on the vertical pounding?..........Pete
 
For the cushy-est ride on the planet, there is always the Bostrom Air-Ride. :D
It is the seat of choice for long-haul truckers. 8)

T915.jpg
wideride.jpg
 
This is a reply to GreatCir, who posted some interesting questions about using the urethane grommet shocks. I am a new member, and in the spirit of full disclosure, am the inventor and manufacturer of the Seaspension shock-absorbing pedestal. I am not posting to refute any other products, but merely to add some insight that we have developed over the years regarding shock-mitigation. I will try to respond to any input as quickly as I can, but we are in the midst of 2 military contracts with tight deadlines, so it will have to be on a time-available basis.

The observation that a seat with better foam results in a better ride is a valid one. A sponge absorbs better than a board. So it feels sometimes with seats. You have also experienced what most pool divers know, and that is to move the fulcrum point closer to the hinge or connecting point in order to achieve more spring when they bounce off the board.

Energy absorbing components such as rubber stoppers, a gas spring (commonly used in height adjustable pedestals and sometimes marketed as shock mitigating pedestals), or a spring loaded seat does not equate to a properly functioning shock-mitigating device because springs and their counterparts store energy. An illustration is when you see a car going down the road with bad shock-absorbers and you will observe that it keeps bouncing when it goes over bumps. The same phenomena is displayed with a pogo stick.

To effectively mitigate impact loads, the object is to reduce acceleration over time and distance. Without going into physics and academia, 2 elements need to be present to properly reduce impact loads: one is energy absorbtion over distance (travel), the other is a controlling mechanism to "bleed off" the energy (damper).

Seaspension provides a coil-over spring to absorb the impacts both at the lighter, as well as the heavier loads over 3.5" of travel. It does this by using a progressively wound spring. The second component is an engineered damper, which serves to bleed-off the energy that the spring absorbs, so you don't get the Yo-Yo effect. In fact, military studies have shown that the rebound event causes more acceleration, thus injuries, than the initial impact if the energy is not properly controlled (dampened).

I would end this blurp with some self promotion, but I understand that that might be against any rules. Suffice to say that we've had a repeat sale to a Presidential customer, and are developing some new product for our new Presidential Security detail.
 
Thanks for checking in on this thread Peter!

As you can see by cruising the "Projects" area, our members are always looking for new and innovative products to enhance their boating experience.

Would the suspension seats on this Zodiac be one of your products?

Image-045B312BC73311DA.jpg


Image-045B88C8C73311DA.jpg
 
Hi,
No Sir,
The seats look like Ullman seats. They are designed by a Swedish Md, who is a regular featured speaker and expert to the military crowd. The seats are called Jockey or saddle seats, and his' use the principle of a large composite material spring underneath the seat, with a shock absorber in the back.
These type of seats are mostly used by the Secial Ops. guys, where they cram as many seats (hands) into a RIB as possible for insertion into littoral waters.
We offer something similar using our pedestals and an H.O . Bostrom developed height adjustable Jockey seat. Please see the PDF below.
As we say" Sit down and enjoy the ride!".
 

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Finally got a video. Seas were 3-4 ft. We were running at about 15- knots. It's hard to see just how well they performed without pictures of the seas outside but you get the picture.

Sorry about the "sideways" presentation. I thought I could edit and rotate the image but, I couldn't.

They guy sitting in the chair is about 220. He's been on my boat without the seat posts and he ranted about the difference and NO, it wasn't bottoming out.

http://www.youtube.com/user/OtherLine1
 
Looks pretty cool. I have thought about doing that. I did notice the bean bag in the corner of the video. Thats the only way to ride in my opinion. Too bad they cant make a Captains chair out of those.
 
I had my boat down in the Keys a couple of weeks ago and we were in 4 to 5 foot seas and my wife could not believe how much of a difference the Shock mitigating pedestals made. It was the first time she had been on the boat with the new seats in rough water. She felt they were well worth the money.
 
Note to all guys who love their wife and their boats: women hate getting bounced around! This is a recurring testimonial we hear, and thank you for bringing it up. Well worth keeping her happy, right? :wink:
 
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