Cushioned seat for powerboat

Claim 1

An impact shock absorbing lean chair apparatus mounted in an ocean-going power speed boat for mitigating impact shocks to a crew member due to impacts of the boat with ocean swells and waves, whereby the crew member leans against the lean chair in a semi-standing position, with knees slightly bent, part of each impact shock to the crew member being absorbed by the legs of the crew member and the remainder of each impact shock being absorbed by the lean chair apparatus, the lean chair apparatus comprising: upstanding support means attached to the boat; a seat interconnected to the upstanding support means at a vertical height selected so that the crew member will be in the semi-standing position when the crew member leans against the seat, the seat comprising: a crew member back support portion having a lower edge; a crew member posterior receiving portion extending outwardly from the back support portion for absorbing and mitigating ocean wave and swell impact shocks to the crew member, the posterior receiving portion having a relatively narrow width between the lower edge of the back support portion and the edge of the posterior receiving portion for providing only partial posterior support of the crew member when the crew member's back is positioned against the back support portion, the remaining impact shock absorption for the crew member being provided by the crew member's partially bent legs; a first side member positioned adjacent to and along one side of the back support portion and the posterior receiving portion; a second side member positioned adjacent to and along the other side of the back support portion and the posterior receiving portion, the back support portion, posterior receiving portion, the first side portion and the second side portion defining an interior surface of the seat; a support flange interconnected between the seat and the upstanding support means for attaching the seat to the upstanding support means; and adjustment means for moving the first and second sie members relative to the back support and posterior receiving portions to vary the distance between the interior surface portions of the first and second side members, the side members interconnecting the posterior receiving portion to the back support portion at a location on the posterior receiving portion remote from the back support portion.