A suspension system for a suspended marine platform on a high-speed water vessel having a usual direction of travel, the suspension system comprising: a shock absorbing assembly for resiliently suspending a marine platform relative to a vessel, wherein the shock absorbing assembly tends to cause the marine platform to remain in an upper at-rest position and to return to the at-rest position on cessation of a force causing the marine platform to move generally vertically towards a bottom position; two spar assemblies, one of the spar assemblies forward of the other spar assembly, and each spar assembly comprising a first spar and a second spar, each spar pivotally attached at a proximal end to the vessel and pivotally attached at a distal end to the marine platform, wherein: the proximal ends are aft of the distal ends; and the proximal ends of the spars are spaced athwart one from the other a greater distance than the distal ends of the spars are spaced athwart one from the other; characterized in that: the attachment of one of the spar assemblies to the vessel permits relative fore and aft movement between the vessel and the proximal ends of the spars of that one of the spar assemblies; or the attachment of one of the spar assemblies to the marine platform permits relative fore and aft movement between the marine platform and the distal ends of the spars of that one of the spar assemblies. a shock absorbing assembly for resiliently suspending a marine platform relative to a vessel, wherein the shock absorbing assembly tends to cause the marine platform to remain in an upper at-rest position and to return to the at-rest position on cessation of a force causing the marine platform to move generally vertically towards a bottom position; two spar assemblies, one of the spar assemblies forward of the other spar assembly, and each spar assembly comprising a first spar and a second spar, each spar pivotally attached at a proximal end to the vessel and pivotally attached at a distal end to the marine platform, wherein: the proximal ends are aft of the distal ends; and the proximal ends of the spars are spaced athwart one from the other a greater distance than the distal ends of the spars are spaced athwart one from the other; the proximal ends are aft of the distal ends; and the proximal ends of the spars are spaced athwart one from the other a greater distance than the distal ends of the spars are spaced athwart one from the other; characterized in that: the attachment of one of the spar assemblies to the vessel permits relative fore and aft movement between the vessel and the proximal ends of the spars of that one of the spar assemblies; or the attachment of one of the spar assemblies to the marine platform permits relative fore and aft movement between the marine platform and the distal ends of the spars of that one of the spar assemblies. the attachment of one of the spar assemblies to the vessel permits relative fore and aft movement between the vessel and the proximal ends of the spars of that one of the spar assemblies; or the attachment of one of the spar assemblies to the marine platform permits relative fore and aft movement between the marine platform and the distal ends of the spars of that one of the spar assemblies.