Sharrow MX Propellers Making Waves

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Sharrow Marine’s MX line of propellers are designed for outboards in the 200- to 450-hp range and are aimed squarely at center consoles, offshore boats, cruisers and other performance-oriented applications. The company says its propulsion technology can improve efficiency, handling and ride quality, while reducing vibration and noise.

It’s notable that a  pair of MX props have been installed aboard the twin Honda outboards powering the Great Loop Challenge 2.0.

Compared to conventional props, Sharrow says the MX propellers deliver planing at lower RPM, higher speeds at mid-range rpm levels, and higher top-end speed.

Read Next: Our Test of Sharrow Propellers

We place higher value on the low- and midrange performance. Those characteristics matter more ( for most boaters) because cruising, acceleration and getting on plane account for far more real-world running time than a few minutes at wide-open throttle.

The Geometry Is the Story

The MX’s defining feature is its closed-loop blade design. Instead of allowing the blade tip to terminate in open water, the blade curves back toward the propeller, creating what Sharrow describes as a continuous loop. 

That unusual shape is intended to manage the pressure differential at the blade tips and reduce the tip vortices associated with conventional propellers. Less energy lost to turbulence theoretically means more of the engine’s horsepower can be converted into useful thrust.

It also changes the sound and feel of the boat. Sharrow promotes the MX as a smoother, quieter alternative, and independent testing has reported noticeably less vibration.

Precision Matters

The MX isn’t simply a conventional propeller with an unusual blade shape. Each unit is CNC-machined in the United States from stainless-steel alloy and lab-finished to a high level of dimensional accuracy, according to Sharrow Marine. The company then uses the boat, engine and operating information supplied by the customer to determine the appropriate propeller specifications, including pitch and blade configuration.

That fitting process is important. Propeller selection is always a compromise among acceleration, engine rpm, boat speed, load and efficiency. Even an innovative propeller cannot overcome a poor match between the prop and the boat.

There is also a price consideration. The MX currently lists for $4,995, making it a substantial investment compared with a conventional stainless-steel propeller. For boaters who routinely put serious hours on their boats, the potential gains in efficiency, acceleration and handling may make the economics easier to justify. For occasional users, the decision becomes more about performance and the desire to put something genuinely different beneath the waterline.

A Different Kind of Prop

The Sharrow MX is significant because it challenges one of boating’s most established pieces of hardware. The propeller may be hidden beneath the water, but its influence is felt every time the throttle moves forward.

Whether the goal is quicker planing, better cruising efficiency, reduced vibration or simply sharper handling, the MX approaches propulsion from a fundamentally different direction. It doesn’t look like the propellers we’ve been using for generations—and that, ultimately, is the point.

For an industry where evolutionary improvements are the norm, Sharrow’s MX offers something considerably rarer: a fresh look at how a boat turns horsepower into forward motion.

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