Sharrow boat propellers
- Thread starter Donald
- Start date
Great review
First time in my life our 180 Chaparral VP O/D came with a VP OEM 4 blade. It's just a cheap aluminum prop with 4 blades. But as previously posted in other threads, not sure if its the prop or hull design or both (another in here has the same experience) but the time to plane is stupid fast that I have never experienced for a low power boat (ive owned all size boats for 40+ years, all different types of power, some boats much larger) and this boat easily holds plane at 3k RPM. Heck Im sure much lower RPMs in fact not sure when I lose plane but its low, to be accurate I will document it this weekend assuming we get out there which is planned so far.
One thing it sucks at is reverse, again, not sure if it's the hull, prop or both. The other in here suggested tilting the outdrive up in reverse and he may have a point, need to confirm that also this weekend.
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It's an intriguing product we've all been watching for a while.
They obfuscate what it really is by selling it by HP, instead of diameter, and pitch.
Example - I have a merc 300, but I want a blade for tahoe, and blade for sea level?
Which do I buy for Tahoe?
It's primary made for outboards and seems to have a 450 upper end limit which Im imagining is flex related.
The prop in the image I posted is rated for 900HP.
This is smart - not sure what the fine print is.
Sharrow Care Protection Plan
$33.00/month
The other really cool product that deserved a look Ive played with are the variable pitch props.
Land and Sea made one in the 80/90, and there was/is another brand called (If I recall) switch pitch.
If you want an immediate performance increase just upgrade the same size diameter prop SS which wont bend/flex at high speed.
Pretty much every boat blows in reverse with rudderboats being particularly bad. Increasing blade surface area helps.
Alarm, you may have hit upon a key item, as RC model testing these props with electric drive and measuring speed vs kW, does in some cases seem to show differing loading characteristics and less promising results.
In a long distant past life, I worked testing two stroke outboard powerheads for race engines. While our goal was maximum HP, which of course was maximum speed. We also tested oil mixtures for HP and noted wear related issues.
Since the goal was speed, we tested props and lower units too. Although I was the powerhead installer, I did find all of it fascinating.
In our case, prop efficiency was maximized by a thin aggressive stainless prop and a lower unit with 3 sets of bevel gears to minimize drag. Nothing we did beat this combo when the goal was to convert a limited amount of power (about 300HP) to speed.
The lower units looked a lot like this, thin and sleek. No reverse:
Alarm, you may have hit upon a key item, as RC model testing these props with electric drive and measuring speed vs kW, does in some cases seem to show differing loading characteristics and less promising results.
In a long distant past life, I worked testing two stroke outboard powerheads for race engines. While our goal was maximum HP, which of course was maximum speed. We also tested oil mixtures for HP and noted wear related issues.
Since the goal was speed, we tested props and lower units too. Although I was the powerhead installer, I did find all of it fascinating.
In our case, prop efficiency was maximized by a thin aggressive stainless prop and a lower unit with 3 sets of bevel gears to minimize drag. Nothing we did beat this combo when the goal was to convert a limited amount of power (about 300HP) to speed.
The lower units looked a lot like this, thin and sleek. No reverse:
Thin to win baby!
You had three downshafts in that?
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Yeah, fully aware on SS. Actually almost always purchased them and or they came with the boats I purchased. I used to have reliable sources where I could buy it new and exchange it for another size (as long as you didnt touch the prop in low water) should I chose as the SS does operate with less drag.
This boat I call "my wife's" boat. She was the driving force who wanted a boat again *LOL* So not as much into it as I used to be (and why its smaller), though glad to have one. Some years back motorcycling took over my passion and now Im in a new home and all over the place as to what I want *LOL*
I have a lot of distractions of things I like to do now. It used to be every second I got I would be down at the marina when I was younger, heck even for dinner we would go down as I had a gas grill for the boat. I also used to enjoy working on them when I kept it in a slip, working in the hot sun, wiring up whatever, then toward the end of the day rewarding myself with a run.
As far as reverse, I cant emphasize how experienced I am without sounding "full of myself" I could dock (back into a slip) a 28 foot single screw Searay in the most windy conditions from any direction like I was parallel parking a car. Some windy days fellow boaters on my dock at the marina would run over to me to help when I was docking, over time they realized they just needed to wave hello and tell others "he is ok doesnt need help".
Im only saying this because when I say the Chaparral with its 4 blade prop sucks, it sucks *LOL* But I handle it fine knowing what to not expect from reverse.
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4WD
$50 site donor 2025
We have a dealer who wore diapers on his dad’s showroom and he’s on grandkids himself now. He does not prepare boats with OEM props - part of delivery is we are going on the water - let me know what parameters matter - bringing the best 2-3 props and let’s try them together …Yeah, fully aware on SS. Actually almost always purchased them and or they came with the boats I purchased. I used to have reliable sources where I could buy it new and exchange it for another size (as long as you didnt touch the prop in low water) should I chose as the SS does operate with less drag.
This boat I call "my wife's" boat. She was the driving force who wanted a boat again *LOL* So not as much into it as I used to be, though glad to have one. Some years back motorcycling took over my passion and now Im in a new home and all over the place as to what I want *LOL*
I have a lot of distractions of things I like to do now. It used to be every second I got I would be down at the marina when I was younger. I also used to enjoy working on them when I kept it in a slip, working in the hot sun, wiring up whatever, then toward the end of the day rewarding myself with a run.
Yeah, fully aware on SS. Actually almost always purchased them and or they came with the boats I purchased. I used to have reliable sources where I could buy it new and exchange it for another size (as long as you didnt touch the prop in low water) should I chose as the SS does operate with less drag.
This boat I call "my wife's" boat. She was the driving force who wanted a boat again *LOL* So not as much into it as I used to be (and why its smaller), though glad to have one. Some years back motorcycling took over my passion and now Im in a new home and all over the place as to what I want *LOL*
I have a lot of distractions of things I like to do now. It used to be every second I got I would be down at the marina when I was younger, heck even for dinner we would go down as I had a gas grill for the boat. I also used to enjoy working on them when I kept it in a slip, working in the hot sun, wiring up whatever, then toward the end of the day rewarding myself with a run.
As far as reverse, I cant emphasize how experienced I am without sounding "full of myself" I could dock (back into a slip) a 28 foot single screw Searay in the most windy conditions from any direction like I was parallel parking a car. Some windy days fellow boaters on my dock at the marina would run over to me to help when I was docking, over time they realized they just needed to wave hello and tell others "he is ok doesnt need help".
Im only saying this because when I say the Chaparral with its 4 blade prop sucks, it sucks *LOL* But I handle it fine knowing what to not expect from reverse.
Totally get it - I went from boating all the time to almost none at all.
Dont sound full of yourself at all.
I also totally get being experienced enough to put a boat in a slip front or back with no drama.
Same goes for backing, loading and unloading Im with you none of it is remotely challenging anymore after 30+ years of doing it - as long you can see the trailer.
It's interesting watching inexperienced baoaters responses when you tell them twin screws is much easier than a single.
4WD
$50 site donor 2025
Boats are like cholesterol - comes and goes - BiL wants to return my Mako with 2006 outboard - I know him well -
I re power and WE go fishing
Yeah, it's fun to watch newer boaters and other times I do feel bad for them. I think the key thing they need to learn is take it slow. Gosh the times of watching boaters throwing things in reverse and forward and reverse and forward giving it gas, jerking forward and backwards all the time.
When simply take into account the direction of wind and tide, EASE the forward and reverse controls nice, easy and slow, the direction of the boat under the condtions and make adjustments.
Once you get that battle down the rest will come over time, though maybe not for everyone.
All the above also goes for putting it up on a trailer. Nice and easy, they need to slow down, in fact, trailers are more simple in the sense the boat ramps are lower and the wind blocked most times, same goes for the tide compared to a boat slip. Just glide up the trailer, when sure you are straight give it some gentle but firm gas and you barely have to winch anything. Pull it right up to the winch.
I used to use a ramp on the outside of a curve in the IL river...on the channel. If you went in nice and easy, you were about 45 degrees to your trailer. You had to go in pretty hot to be lined up at all.
In general I agree 100%...NICE AND EASY! It is also amazing how easily you can move a boat near a dock by hand. Toss a rope, have someone step onto the dock...can make even a rookie look good when you have good help.
I remember launching my 21' Bryant about 8 years ago at a dual path ramp with a dock in the middle. When I pulled up, there was a family trying to get there boat in the water. I prepped for launch, backed, pulled off, tied boat, parked trailer, and got back to the boat and started to leave (oh, I had my about 5 year old son with me as well). The wife shook her head at me and said "you make it look so easy"...I replied "it is", and motored off.
That’s the exact ramp that we use on the intracoastal. Dual ramps with floating dock in the middle.
For the most part, it’s generally quiet for lack of better words, but sometimes you’re very thankful that it’s teo ramps when someone gets hung up with a problem,
Make that 5X the work with a VP DuoProp after you buy the special tool.Yes, always, unless of course a neglected boat that doesnt under go proper yearly maintenance it can become a problem.
Actually with Volvo Penta outdrives you remove the prop every year as it's the only way to change the gear oil.
But even with Merc, part or maintenance is to remove the prop every year, re-coat the spline with anticorrosion grease. Props slide right on and off with zero effort. If maintenance is ignored for a few years, this can become an issue for a boat stored in salt water.
It's pretty amazing, in this case our VP outdrive, 2 weeks ago (or less) I changed the gear oil. When putting the prop back on, you snug up the prop nut then back off and finger tight is all it is. Then locknut with cotter pin. Thanks for reminding me, I need a new pin, only one side of it left
I still want to see actual tests on these props compared to top of the line OEM props. Those comparison charts do not disclose what the "traditional prop" is. I suspect since they say "traditional" that means standard OEM prop, many times made of aluminum, yet the OEMs also make optional high end props. I suspect those props are not the ones they are comparing.
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