Operating small, fast boats in "adverse" conditions can be extremely demanding on crew and occupants. The purpose of the the shock mitigating boat seats is to alleviate a large portion of the stresses that are transferred into the craft operators all while offering excellent ergonomics, accessibility to the controls, and uncompromising visibility. The seats are designed to withstand extreme multi-axis loads and the caustic marine environment while offering adjust-ability for the 5th-95th percentile user. This technology has been embraced by many government agencies as the the new 'standard' for crew safety.
As the Senior Mechanical Designer I was heavily involved with the development and installation of a broad range of seats to various customers.
A video of an installation can be seen here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=5xvoDnN_bjE#!