Founded in 2011 and aiming to reduce injuries caused by repeated and/or large wave impacts, Shark Seating developed an innovative line of marine suspension seating and shock mitigation systems. Shark Seating product designs are guided by our three core principles: simplicity, modularity, and versatility. “These principles enable us to tackle any ergonomic challenge. It’s a process where all the hard work rests on the designer rather than the user. We work tirelessly to ensure that our solutions are even more simple, self-adjusting, and intuitive,” said Paul Zwaan, Shark founder.
In 2013, the New Zealand Navy was faced with delays and rising costs from inflexible suppliers dominating a small market. There was a need for agile and cooperative suppliers offering lighter, more adaptable products and services. In January 2013, the New Zealand Navy became our first customer with the purchase of four titanium suspension units.
In the field of high-speed vessels, the ultimate goal is to achieve maximum performance with minimal resources. This entails prioritising safety, comfort, and durability while minimising weight, complexity, and cost. To achieve this, Paul and the team at Shark Seating began researching the use of composite materials. Eventually, developing a proprietary composite material called Flexanite, which, when combined with the patented design, became a game-changing solution for shock mitigation: the FLEX suspension unit, which was first sold to a tour boat operator in August 2014. This was followed a short time later by the development of the ULTRA jockey seat.
In 2015, Shark broke new ground with the sale of 114 seats to be used on support boats (24 Rayglass Protectors and 3 Catalyst 45) by Emirates Team New Zealand in the America’s Cup races. Shortly after, SailGP purchased the Shark system for their own support boats. Since 2017, all top teams have used Shark seats on their chase boats.
2021 marked a pivotal moment in Shark’s history, as we secured the contract for suspension seating for the 36th Annual America’s Cup in Auckland. In addition to the Coast Guard and Police boats patrolling the Waitematã Harbor, Shark provided 150 seats for use on the camera boats, chase boats, tour boats, and boats transporting the marshals and course umpires. Many of those boats were donated to the New Zealand Coastguard after the race, which made Shark a supplier to the NZ Coastguard. This event raised Shark Seating’s visibility on a global level and opened doors for future deals with Coast Guard, military, and police organizations throughout the Asia Pacific region.
In August 2024, Shark Seating joined the Springfield Marine group. This relationship is key to a goal to take Shark products global and make shock mitigation seating a maritime standard, thus reducing injuries across all types of boating. Since joining Springfield Marine, we are continuing our product innovation and developing solutions for a broader range of boaters. We have also leveraged Springfield Marine’s global relationships to make the Shark Seating line of products available through many of the largest distributors and retailers in the world.
Stay tuned as we continue to Make Boating Better.
