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   [Sharrow Props](/articles/sharrow-props)# Showdown on the Detroit River 

 Oct 18, 2026

 

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  ##### ***by The BoatTEST Team*** 

  

 

 

 

 # **Sharrow vs. Traditional Prop**

*Two identical Robalo R302s, twin Yamaha 300s, and one difference: the propellers.*

 





Watch: Capt. Shelley runs two identical Robalo R302s side by side, one on a traditional prop and one on the Sharrow prop.

**Seven years ago,** BoatTEST captains discovered the Sharrow prop. After a week of testing by three different BoatTEST captains (the longest and most in-depth test we have ever conducted on a single product), there was no doubt we had found a revolutionary advancement in propeller design.

**At the time, we didn’t understand why** the Sharrow propeller was so efficient in the midrange, tenaciously grabbed the water in hard-over turns, backing down like it had four-wheel drive, and it was so quiet. The fact that it was so much quieter turned out to be the tip-off to one thing that was making it so efficient. Later, when we saw tank-testing videos and began reading up about tip vortices on airplane wings and propellers, the explanation became clear.

**It’s not magic. It’s physics**. Physics that no one in nearly 200 years of boat prop-making had ever thought about exploring, until the idea popped into Greg Sharrow’s mind one morning while he was walking his dog.

**Many Different Tests: The Same Result**

Over the years, we have tested Sharrow props against conventional designs made --or used -- by all of the outboard companies and virtually all of the independent prop-makers. We’ve tested them on monohulls, deep-Vs and shallow-Vs, catamarans, and on both gasoline and diesel engines. The result has always been the same: Sharrow props are 15% to 40% more fuel-efficient in the mid-RPM range,

So, if the Sharrow prop is so efficient, why don’t all of the outboard engine companies just make their own version of it?

**Because Sharrow has over 150 patents in 30 countries**, and an an aggressive team of lawyers at the ready. Further, the big engine companies have a thriving prop business with a huge, built-in customer base. They make millions a year selling old technology. Why give it up?

That’s essentially why, if you want to give your boat new life by re-propping, or if you just want the most fuel-efficient props available, you are on your own.

> *“The efficiency gains are real.”*
> 
> **Capt. Shelley, Test Captain, BoatTEST**

**Gallery**

## **On the Water With the Test Boats**

 ![sharrow-vs-yamaha-prop-robalo-r302.jpg](/sites/default/files/images/2026-10/sharrow_robalo_test_clientrev_v1%20%282160p%29.mp4_.00_00_34_25.Still002.jpg)



The props under test: a traditional Yamaha Saltwater Series II (left) and the Sharrow prop (right). ![capt-shelley-robalo-r302-yamaha-300.jpg](/sites/default/files/images/2026-10/sharrow_robalo_test_clientrev_v1%20%282160p%29.mp4_.00_00_50_02.Still005.jpg)



Capt. Shelley with the twin Yamaha 300s. ![two-robalo-r302-center-consoles.jpg](/sites/default/files/images/2026-10/sharrow_robalo_test_clientrev_v1%20%282160p%29.mp4_.00_01_04_50.Still001.jpg)



Two identical Robalo R302 center consoles.

 ![sharrow-prop-test-helm-view.jpg](/sites/default/files/images/2026-10/sharrow_robalo_test_clientrev_v1%20%282160p%29.mp4_.00_03_10_30.Still004.jpg)



Matching RPM, side by side, from the captain's seat. 

[**Learn More at Sharrow Marine →**](https://sharrowmarine.com)