There’s a certain kind of boater who never stops learning — the kind who studies performance, pays attention to the details, and is always searching for ways to make a great experience even better.
That’s exactly how Tom Szlachta approaches his time on the water.
After more than 40 years boating on Michigan’s Lake St. Clair, Tom made the move into a center console in 2024 when he purchased a Sailfish 312 CC powered by twin Mercury V10 outboards. What started as a transition into a more versatile style of boating quickly evolved into something more: a real-world testing platform for one of the marine industry’s oldest innovations — the propeller.
Drawn to Performance
For nearly four decades, Tom ran a 24-foot Formula boat. But over time, priorities shifted.
“As I got older, I wanted more room,” Tom explained. “I wanted space to walk around the whole boat, do some fishing, get in and out of the water easily, and just have a more convenient setup.”
The Sailfish 312 CC checked every box. With its open layout, side access door, oversized head compartment, and versatile design, the 312 quickly became the ideal platform for life on Lake St. Clair — whether that meant cruising with friends, chasing perch and walleye, or spending long summer afternoons anchored near the islands with family and neighbors.
“And it has the performance I like,” Tom added.
That balance is something Sailfish owners recognize immediately. The 312 CC combines offshore capability with family-friendly functionality, all built on Sailfish’s Variable Degree Stepped Hull for a dry, stable ride in changing conditions. Combined with Sailfish’s wood-free construction, Kevlar-reinforced structural components, fiberglass I-beam grid system, and through-bolted hardware, the result is a boat engineered to deliver confidence season after season.
An Unexpected Opportunity
Not long after taking delivery of his 312 CC, Tom’s dealer connected him with representatives from Sharrow Marine, who were looking for a real-world test platform for a newer propeller application designed for Mercury V10 outboards.
At first, Tom wasn’t convinced. “I thought it was a gimmick,” he admitted. “I really did.”
But as testing progressed his opinion changed quickly. Over the course of two boating seasons, Tom tested multiple propeller configurations against the factory-equipped Mercury Revolution X propellers, evaluating differences in pitch, sound levels, and low-speed performance with joystick docking.
Instead of traditional open-blade propellers, Sharrow uses a patented looped prop design to enhance performance with real-world measurable gains.
While the Sailfish 312 CC already delivered the ride quality, efficiency, and handling he wanted from day one, the testing highlighted how rapidly modern propulsion technology continues to evolve, and how performance-minded and how performance-minded owners enjoy exploring those advancements.
Real Owners Drive Real Innovation
Innovation in boating has always moved forward because passionate boaters are willing to test, learn, and share their experiences. “Really, this is the first major redesign of the propeller in a couple hundred years,” Tom said. “It’s been fun getting the season underway and seeing what this setup can do.”
That mindset aligns naturally with Sailfish. We build boats for owners who use them to their full potential — offshore runs, sandbar weekends, fishing trips, cruising, family adventures, and everything in between. For many owners, part of the enjoyment comes from dialing in their boat to perfectly match their style of boating, whether through electronics, accessories, seating layouts, or propulsion experimentation.
Living on a canal with direct access to Lake St. Clair, Tom spends his summers cruising with family and friends, fishing local waters, and making the most of every day on the water. Like many longtime boaters in the area, he knows exactly what he expects from a boat — versatility, comfort, confidence, and performance. His Sailfish 312 CC delivers on all fronts, giving him the freedom to do it all with ease while still bringing the excitement that keeps him looking forward to every run.
After four decades dedicated to offshore performance, Tom’s decision to run a Sailfish center console speaks volumes.
