Upgrade to the Future of Propulsion
Upgrade to the Future of Propulsion
American Ingenuity
The Sharrow Propeller™ was born from a moment of everyday inspiration and a deep belief in better solutions. In 2012, Greg Sharrow—a native Detroiter working in video production—needed a quieter, more efficient propeller for aerial filming. That simple need sparked a question that had gone unasked for over two centuries: If most of the noise and drag comes from the tip, why not remove the tip altogether? While walking his dog one morning, the idea struck: a looped, tipless design that could grip air or water more smoothly than anything before it. What followed was years of engineering, prototyping, and testing that would ultimately lead to a breakthrough in propulsion design.
Today, the Sharrow Propeller™ is widely recognized as one of the most significant advances in propeller technology in generations. With dramatically reduced noise, increased fuel efficiency, and superior handling, it has been adopted across the marine industry and is now being developed for use in aerospace, drones, HVAC, wind energy, and more. It’s a product of American ingenuity, shaped by Detroit’s engineering legacy, and driven by a willingness to rethink the most fundamental assumptions about how things move through air and water.
This vision led to the invention of the SHARROW PROPELLER™, a breakthrough that would become the most significant advancement in propeller technology in two centuries. During the rigorous R&D and design process, Greg and his team of engineers discovered that the SHARROW PROPELLER™ offered a multitude of advantages across various applications and fluid densities. Yet, it all began with a simple, powerful idea: to make a quiet drone.
Driven by a commitment to American innovation, Greg brought his groundbreaking invention back to his hometown of Detroit, MI, to manufacture the Sharrow Propeller in America. This journey of innovation, driven by Greg’s relentless pursuit of perfection, has now set new standards in propeller design and performance, all while proudly being made in the USA.
Independent, Third Party Verified
Independent, third-party testing led by the University of Michigan’s Marine Hydrodynamic Laboratory demonstrates the Sharrow Propeller is dramatically more efficient than the industry standard Wageningen B-series screw. The Sharrow Propeller is "80% quieter than competitors, making it less disruptive to wildlife, and its looping design makes it up to 30% more efficient than standard boat propellers.” - TIME.com
Dramatic Reduction In Cavitation From Tip Vortices
Sharrow Engineering funded the development of an enhanced 12-stream dye injection visualization system with high-speed 750 fps camera at the University of Michigan’s Marine Hydrodynamics Laboratory.
As the video shows, the larger volume of the captured stream of the Sharrow Propeller™ and greater downstream mixing. Note in the photo the outer orange streamline that is ingested into the Sharrow Propeller™ passes beyond the tip of the standard propeller. The standard propeller produces a concentrated tip vortex while the Sharrow Propeller™ has no tip vortex; the tip vortex is an induced loss and a source of cavitation.
Here we see underwater video captured on a test vessel which demonstrates one of the greatest strengths of the Sharrow Propeller™. The standard propeller shows tip vortices cavitation (TVC), which coalesces into the typical helical paths from each blade. This phenomenon is expected from a standard blade and a source of energy loss. At this operational point, the speed of advance is low, and the loading is high, so TVC is very likely. Notice that the Sharrow Propeller™ (on the top) doesn't show any TVC, which is one of the many reasons the Sharrow Propeller™ is more efficient than a standard blade.
Up To 80% Quieter At Cruising Speeds
The noise reduction that you will experience on your boat with a Sharrow MX™ is incredible. Cavitation created by standard propellers is a huge source of noise for boaters. The Sharrow MX™ dramatically reduces traditional tip vortices and cavitation, providing you with a smooth and quiet ride like you’ve never experienced before.
Sharrow True Advance™ Technology
True Advance™ is a design feature within all Sharrow Propellers™ that contributes to the incredible efficiency and performance of the Sharrow Propeller™. It allows our propellers to achieve their maximum advance rate and efficiency much earlier on in the RPM and speed range of a boat compared to standard propellers. The benefits of Sharrow True Advance™ include:
- Unmatched Efficiency
- Greater Range
- Superior Fuel Economy
- Increased Load Capacities
- Faster Speeds (up to 10 MPH FASTER) at Cruising RPM’s
- Enhanced Handling and Maneuvering
- Up to 50% More Reverse Thrust for Greater Stopping Power
- Lower Emissions / Reduced Carbon Footprint
- Quieter Operation
- Less Driver and Passenger Fatigue
- Longer Engine Life
- Can be Utilized on Virtually any Propeller Driven Craft
- Each Sharrow Propeller can be Custom Tuned to Each Specific Application
An analysis of a boat’s performance data reveals that the actual traditional propeller “slip” is significantly more than expected at cruising speeds, while the Sharrow propeller achieves dramatically higher efficiency percentages much earlier on the boat’s total operating range.
Sharrow’s True Advance™ Delivers 97+% of maximum efficiency as soon as the boat reaches planing speed
In this example, the conventional propellers don’t reach 97% of maximum efficiency until nearly full speed.
Greater efficiency means increased fuel economy, increased range, fewer fill-ups, lower emissions and quieter operation
Sharrow’s True Advance™ design delivers higher advance rates earlier in the operating range when compared to conventional propeller designs, delivering superior performance, enhanced control and a safer overall boating experience.
Sharrow’s True Advance™ design also results in faster speeds at the same engine RPM. Cruise at the same speed at a much lower RPM or cruise up to 10 MPH FASTER at the same RPM. The choice is yours!
Sharrow’s True Advance™ design delivers higher advance rates earlier in the operating range when compared to conventional propeller designs, delivering superior performance, enhanced control and a safer overall boating experience.