Sharrow Props

Ford Motors Now Casting Sharrow Props

sharrow props

Sharrow props are custom engineered.

Sharrow Marine and Ford Join Forces to Slash Propeller Lead Times

One of the most significant engineering breakthroughs in modern marine propulsion has been the Sharrow loop-blade propeller. At BoatTEST, our captains have run these continuous-blade wheels through repeated, grueling sea trials across various hull configurations. Our verified data consistently demonstrates dramatic mid-range fuel savings, quicker time-to-plane, and a near-total elimination of efficiency-robbing tip vortices.

However, because each Sharrow prop is custom-engineered to match a vessel’s exact specifications, manufacturing lead times historically stretched up to 130 days—effectively an entire boating season.

A new video released by Sharrow Marine highlights a major manufacturing gamechanger born from an alliance with Ford’s Advanced Manufacturing Technology Center in Detroit.

From 130 Days to 3 Days: Rapid-Cast 3D Printing

Operating out of the Michigan Central New Lab, Sharrow Marine collaborated with Ford engineers to solve their primary production bottleneck: the lengthy turnaround time required for traditional sand castings.

By leveraging Ford's industrial rapid-cast sand 3D-printing technology, Sharrow can now print highly intricate sand molds layer-by-layer—at an astonishing 1/1,000th of an inch at a time—during a single 14-hour machinery cycle. Once the printing is complete, stainless steel is immediately poured.

This advanced manufacturing collaboration plummets total casting lead times from 130 days down to just 3 days. The partnership allows Sharrow to scale production exponentially within the United States, delivering custom, ultra-efficient props to boaters within a few weeks rather than months.

Watch the Detroit Production Update:

Explore Our Complete Sharrow Performance Test Library

At BoatTEST, we don't guess—we test. If you want to see exactly how these revolutionary wheels perform in the water, check out our comprehensive library of real-world evaluations. We have put Sharrow props to the test across a wide variety of boat types, analyzing everything from fuel burn to handling.

Take a look at our most recent multi-day sea trials to see how the data holds up across different hulls and power configurations:

  • Our Recent Sharrow Marine Performance Tests: Review our step-by-step performance breakdowns, complete with full GPH and MPG data curves, to see how transitioning away from standard blade tips transforms cruising range and efficiency.
  • The Sharrow Outboard vs. Inboard Comparison Trials: See the numbers for yourself and find out exactly how much mid-range efficiency your specific boat style stands to gain.

Watch the full factory overview on the official video detailing how Ford and Sharrow Scale Propeller Production, which showcases the high-tech 3D sand-printing machinery drastically cutting casting times down to just 3 days.