Our History
With the idea beginning back in the 1980s by business developer and inventor, Guy Taylor, 3PO Boat Accessories began as a family-run small business seeking for methods to make boating safer while maintaining the fun aspects of the sport.
In the small town of Duchesne, Utah, Guy Taylor, well-known in the community for his boat repair skills and ingenuity, noticed a problem with propellers' short life-times among water hazards such as weeds and rocks. The first guards, developed in 1988, were round with the designs progressing to a more hydrodynamic octagonal design in the 1990s. With guards custom-made to fit certain outboards and outdrives, the name 3PO, Performance Prop Protection for Outboards and Outdrives, was conceived and brought to life as a manufacturer of propeller guards. The process for manufacturing the 3PO guards has always been a difficult and costly process, so the original company initially did not get much traction with the boating industry. Guy Taylor, maintained manufacturing on an individual order basis and gave many guards away hoping to increase the public awareness of the benefits of propeller guards.
Fast-forward to 2012, although Guy’s original guard design was great for preventing entry from the lateral sides of the propeller, Guy saw a need to create an additional accessory to prevent entry from the rear if the boat is stationary. Thus, the Shield was born! With a hinged attachment to allow the light-weight aluminum shield to lift up during forward motion and stay snug against the propeller at idle, slow speeds, and reverse, a method for increasing safety with boat-sports was further enhanced.
In 2015, Guy developed a method to boost boat performance and improve the overall look and design of the propeller nut. With the ability to direct water flow from the exhaust into a stream, the Prop Nut works similar to performance headers improving engine performance by making it easier for the engine to push exhaust gases out of the engine. The prop nut has a locking mechanism which also creates a higher security level for the propeller during operation or storage.
Noticing the rise in wake sports popularity and the dangers that may come if attempted with sterndrive boat designs, Guy saw another opportunity for furthering the boating industry while promoting safe methods with the sport. Guy called his family of four sons and four daughters together to reorganize his business and brainstorm for his latest development’s manufacturing and production. 3PO Boat Accessories was formed in January of 2017, gaining exclusive rights to patents on Guy Taylor’s designs for boat accessories.
In the upcoming months, 3PO Boat Accessories will begin packaging and shipping products.