Southampton manufacturer partners with America’s Cup team
Shock-WBV has sent the first batch of suspension seats and Omega seat inserts to American Magic’s base in Pensacola USA where they will be fitted to the chase boat fleet and in operation later this month. The first batch of WBV (whole body vibration) products, which are manufactured in Southampton, UK, will be fitted to the America’s Cup team’s chase boat Chase 1 and comprise P series Fox suspension modules, award-winning Omega shock-mitigating seat inserts and WBV’s latest suspension seat, the LT Series.
The latest Shock-WBV LT series is manufactured under license by Sea Sure in Southampton, UK.
“American Magic set out to find the best performance shock mitigation seat on the market to upgrade our chase fleet for the 37th Cup and found that in Shock-WBV’s new LT Series seats,” says Dustin Burrell, American Magic Chase fleet captain. “We sought a seat to give our team the best platform to perform their roles at 60 knots even in large seas states and found that in the LT series. Comfort and crew safety is a priority for the 25 crew members on the water daily, and WBV has answered that.”
The 37th America’s Cup will be hosted in Barcelona in 2024.
NYYC American Magic in action during the 36th America’s Cup in 2021. Image courtesy of Sailing Energy/American Magic
The Shock-WBV LT series uses high-speed bearing technology that has been tried and tested for over 30 years in Sea Sure’s yachting hardware. The LT uses the most advanced Fox shock absorber to ever be used on a marine suspension seat.
“Using their patented Omega shock-mitigating seat insert, a newly designed LT series suspension seat, and Fox shock technology, WBV has produced a product that allows American Magic to spend multiple hours a day on the water without sacrificing body fatigue, back pain, or injury,” Burrell says.
“Working with us, they were able to provide the LT series and help refit some of our current seats with their P series suspension platform to accommodate a wide range of seat configurations. As a result, I am happy to say I have the best seat in the house for the 37th Americas Cup.”
“It is fantastic to be working with American Magic in their pursuit of winning 37th Americas Cup,” says Daniel Henderson, sales director at WBV. “To have all three parts of our product range selected by American Magic for their chase boat fleet shows that we have the range of products that is needed to cater for different seating type’s on-board high-speed craft such as Chase 1. The goal from the beginning was to build the best-performing suspension seat that enables boat users to have the best ride quality and comfort in the harshest of conditions, and to reduce fatigue and the risk of injury caused by wave impacts. Knowing that our products will be playing a part in delivering athletes and technical staff to and from American Magic’s race boat in the best physical condition possible is a proud achievement for the team here at WBV.”
WBV’s award-winning patented Omega shock-mitigating seat inserts enhance the performance of the LT series . According to the manufacturer, hidden within the seat foam, the Omega cells interact with each other under load to remove small and fast shocks caused by wave impacts.
