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Ullman Dynamics

COURTESY OF ULLMAN DYNAMICS

boat running, waves

The human body is equipped with a complex system reflexes, developed and evolved to protect the individual from injury. Some of these reflexes are designed to trigger reactions in our muscles, to optimize the protection against impacts. 

The muscular response is obvious in our legs, but is also at hand in our arms, torsos and necks. The muscles react to the impact by contracting, so that they serve as shock absorbers and stabilize the spine.

resuce team, waves

Professional mariners and rescue teams have no choice but to deal with extreme conditions at times. Proper seating can go a long way toward preventing injury.

Sitting in a traditional seat always puts your spine into a C-shape, where the weight of the head is centered forward of its supporting structures in the neck. 

This is the worst position for the spine to be in when exposed to a vertical impact. 

There is risk for head jolts, which can cause whiplash-like distortion injuries and disk herniations in the neck. Even the risk for lumbar disk herniations and vertebral fractures are greater when the spine is C-shaped than when it has it natural S-shape, physiologists report.

Ullman suspension seating

Ullman offers a wide variety of suspension seating suitable for both professional and recreational rough water service.

Why Race Boat Drivers Often Stand Up

Standing keeps the spine in a better S-shaped posture. This is also why race boat drivers, when possible, often choose to stand up. Standing, however, has been shown to cause impacts on the back and neck, actually larger than those measured from the deck. 

Ullman "jockey" seats

“Jockey” seats like this one from Ullman allow the user to straddle the suspension seat and support body weight partially with the legs, greatly easing impact at speed.

The crewman standing with slightly bent legs keeps a tension in the thigh muscles. When the boat goes airborne, this tension will stretch the legs, so that the boat falls faster and the crewman follows split seconds after. Whether the crewman impacts with 2 or 10 tons of boat this impact can be significantly higher than the hull’s impact with the water surface. This is why many race boat drivers have permanent back injuries.

Ullman Seats—A Solution for Spinal Injuries in High Speed Boating

The Ullman Jockey Seats are developed with a special semi-active suspension system designed to optimize the effect of the muscular reflex based protections systems.  They are also designed to maintain the optimal S-shape of the spine and balance of the head. 

Ullman stylish seating, racing boats

Stylish seating that complements the interior of high-speed recreational and racing boats is also available from Ullman.

The system is developed so that a part of the impact is taken up by the arms and shoulders, where even the arms serve as shock absorbers, just like the legs. This distributes the impact between the leg and arms, hips and shoulders, significantly reducing the compression forces on the spine, discs and vertebrae.

The synergetic effects of the suspension system and the biologic response neutralize the resonance effects that make ordinary suspension seats capable of amplifying impacts.

Sitting in a High-Speed Boat Hurts!

Sitting in a traditional seat always puts your spine into a C-shape.  Then the weight of the head is hanging forward of its supporting structures in the neck. This is the worst position for the spine to be in when exposed to a vertical impact. 

Small single engine boat running

Even small single engine boats are capable of generating dangerous impacts when run at speed in rough seas. The right seats can prevent injuries.

There is risk for head jolts. Head jolts can cause whiplash-like distortion injuries and disk ruptures in the neck. Even the risk of vertebral fractures and lumbar disk hernias is much higher with the spine in this C-shape.

Traditional seats put the spine in a “C” shape—not good under severe impact

Traditional seats put the spine in a “C” shape—not good under severe impact!

The Ullman Seats are developed with a special semi-active suspension system, designed to synergize with nature’s muscular, reflex based, protection-system. All Ullman seats are also designed to maintain the optimal S-shape of the spine and balance of the head at all times. 

Ullman seats keep the spine in the preferred “S” position when seated, allowing the body to deal with impacts much better

Ullman seats keep the spine in the preferred “S” position when seated, allowing the body to deal with impacts much better.

Ullman Dynamics has been pioneering the field of suspension seats and shock mitigation in high speed boats since 1989. 

As the first company in the world to introduce suspension seats and shock mitigation seats for high speed boats, Ullman Dynamics has never stopped striving for the vision of protecting people in high performance crafts from injury and fatigue.

Ullman seats offer the ultimate in shock mitigation seating

Ullman seats offer the ultimate in shock mitigation seating with a wide variety of super-tough models ready for anything from rescue services to adventurous recreational yachting.

Many boats today are moving at higher and higher speeds, making the demand for well functioning suspension seats and shock mitigation seats urgent. 

Ullman Dynamics is the world leader in the field protecting crew and passengers in high speed boats through their superior suspension boat seats, reducing impact exposure of up to 76%, per company research.