Soldier of Fortune Magazine The Journal of Professional Adventurers
by Friedrich Seiltgen
TAMPA, Florida – I opened the email from Soldier of Fortune Chief Susan Katz Keating and read her message: “Would you by chance be interested in taking a demo ride on a speedboat during Special Operations Week”?
During SOF Week in May, Sharrow Marine had two boats at the marina to demonstrate firsthand how a traditional propeller performs against the same ship with a Sharrow propeller. I jumped at the chance and reported to Dock Five at the Tampa Convention Center. Upon my arrival, two test boats from Sharrow Marine were ready to depart.
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The boats were two identical Robalo R302s, equipped with twin Yamaha 300 outboards. The R302 is 29 feet long, weighing in at 9,000 pounds, and features a Kevlar-reinforced hull. The only difference between these boats is that one was equipped with stock Yamaha propellers, while the other features the innovative Sharrow Marine propeller.
Unlike traditional straight-blade designs, the Sharrow propeller features a series of looping blades that extend radially from the hub, forming a continuous, flowing shape – all working to reduce drag, improve efficiency, and deliver smoother, tighter turns on the water.
Photo by Fred Seiltgen
The first boat up was equipped with the stock propellers. Our Captain “Slim” took us out past the gauntlet of law enforcement, Coast Guard, and military boats patrolling the Channelside area, and headed towards open water. After exiting the no-wake zone, Slim put the Robalo through its paces, demonstrating the boat’s performance at various RPMs.
At 3,500 RPM, we began performing S-turns. The ship was losing speed, came off the plane, started slipping, and the vibration increased. We stopped, and Slim put the boat in reverse and performed a 180. There was a significant amount of vibration, which was visible when examining the engine cowlings, as they shook.
Now for the holeshot. Slim gunned it, and the boat accelerated swiftly, getting up on a plane fairly quickly.
Now for the second boat! Slim put us through the same maneuvers, and with the Sharrow Propeller, there was a noticeable difference in performance. Once again, at 3,500 RPM, we began performing S-turns. The ship maintained its speed and never came off plane, and the vibration decreased. When in reverse, maneuverability significantly improved, along with reduced vibration.
Now for the holeshot! Slim brought us to a stop and then gave it full throttle. Wow! Our boat practically jumped out of the water! Once again, there was a significant reduction in noise, vibration, wake, and cavitation, and the boat planed at a lower RPM than the stock propellers.
Seiltgen on board. Photo by Heike Seiltgen.
The Sharrow Marine Propeller has been a game changer for commercial boating, and now it is sharing its unique propeller technology with the military community. It offers superior handling in tight turns, a noticeable reduction in vibration and noise, more reverse thrust, and up to 30% greater range.
These features would undoubtedly give a military unit an edge. With models that fit various types of watercraft, I believe the Sharrow Marine Propeller is a rapid upgrade that would benefit special operations units, the Coast Guard, law enforcement, and other organizations seeking an advantage over their enemies or competitors.
Remember, folks, “Never Fight Fair!”
Friedrich Seiltgen is a retired Master Police Officer with 20 years of service with the Orlando Police Department. He conducts training in lone wolf terrorism counterstrategies, firearms, and active shooter response. Contact him at [email protected].
