Best Mercury Dealer in Ontario: The HBW Difference (2026) Harris Boat Works is a Mercury Marine Premier dealer and Legend Boats dealer on Rice Lake in Gores Landing, Ontario. Family-owned since 1947, Mercury dealer since 1965, with a full-service shop for outboard repair,...
Quick answer: The best Mercury dealer is the one whose reputation still holds after the sale. Look for consistent people, clear written pricing, careful rigging, an on-water test, and a shop that wants to know your boat for years, not just close one transaction. Harris Boat Works has been family-owned on Rice Lake since 1947 and a Mercury dealer since 1965. We build long-term relationships with customers and with the people who work here because consistency is how good service becomes repeatable.
Harris Boat Works is a Mercury Marine Premier dealer and Legend Boats dealer on Rice Lake in Gores Landing, Ontario. Family-owned since 1947, Mercury dealer since 1965, with a full-service shop for outboard repair, repower and winterization.
Searching for the "best Mercury dealer in Ontario" is really asking a more useful question:
Who will take care of my boat before, during, and after the sale?
A dealer badge can tell you that a shop meets a manufacturer's standards. It cannot tell you whether the quote will be clear, whether the installation will be carefully checked, whether someone will call you back, or whether the relationship will still feel solid five seasons from now.
Those are reputation questions. They are also the things we care most about at Harris Boat Works.
Reputation Is Earned One Job at a Time
HBW has operated in Gores Landing on Rice Lake since 1947. We added Mercury in 1965, and three generations of the Harris family have worked with Ontario boaters here.
That history matters because a local reputation is difficult to manufacture. Customers talk to their neighbours, fishing partners, cottage families, and other boat owners. Good work brings people back. Poor follow-through travels just as quickly.
Some of our long-term customers have dealt with three generations of our family. That does not mean we get every job right or that we are the best fit for every boater. It means the business has always depended on relationships that outlast a single motor sale.
When comparing dealers, look beyond the overall star rating. Read recent reviews for patterns:
- Do customers mention clear communication?
- Does the shop explain unexpected work before adding it?
- Do people return for service after buying?
- Do reviews describe how the dealer handled a problem, not only the day of delivery?
- Do local boaters recommend specific people at the dealership?
A strong reputation is not one perfect review. It is the same positive themes appearing over time.
Consistency Matters, for Customers and Staff
Marine work involves handoffs. The person who discusses the boat, the technician who rigs or diagnoses it, the parts team, and the person who explains the finished work all affect the outcome.
We value long-term relationships with our staff for the same reason we value long-term relationships with customers. Familiar people build shared standards. They remember how the shop approaches a job, know when something does not look right, and carry lessons from one season into the next.
For customers, that continuity means less time starting from zero. The shop can build a useful history of the boat, how it is used, what has been changed, and what has already been tried. It also creates accountability. We expect to see the customer again, so the work has to make sense beyond pickup day.
A Long-Term Service Relationship Is Worth More Than a Sales Pitch
An outboard purchase is only the beginning of the ownership cycle. The more important relationship shows up later:
- Routine maintenance and seasonal service
- Propeller or setup adjustments
- Warranty registration and claim support
- Parts availability
- Diagnostics when a problem is intermittent
- Honest advice about repairing, repowering, or waiting
We do not believe every older motor needs to be replaced. If a repair is the better answer, that is what we should recommend. Trust grows when the advice still makes sense after the invoice is paid.
HBW services Mercury outboards whether or not we originally sold them. For customers who stay with us, the goal is simple: one shop that knows the boat and can give a straight answer when the next decision comes up.
What Customers Can Expect From HBW
Our approach is practical:
- Visible pricing before the conversation. Use the Mercury pricing reference for current motor pricing and the repower quote builder for an installed starting point.
- A written scope. The motor, controls, rigging, steering, propeller, installation, testing, HST, and exclusions should be clear before work begins.
- Mercury-focused knowledge. Our sales, tooling, parts, training, and service work are centred on Mercury and MerCruiser.
- An on-water test. HBW's standard repower handoff includes an on-water test on Rice Lake before pickup when safe seasonal conditions allow. Any alternate acceptance plan is documented.
- A real service path after the sale. Warranty registration, future maintenance, parts, and diagnostics are handled through the same Gores Landing operation.
- No pressure to pretend we are the right fit for everyone. If distance, brand, or the type of work makes another dealer a better choice, we would rather say that early.
This is not glamorous. It is consistent, accountable work, which is what builds a reputation in a small boating community.
Where the Mercury Credential Fits
HBW currently holds Mercury Marine Premier Dealer status. It is a useful supporting credential because it reflects our relationship with Mercury and sits alongside trained technicians, Mercury-specific tooling, parts support, and current product knowledge.
The designation is not the main reason to choose us. It does not replace a clear quote, good communication, careful work, or support after pickup. Customers should judge those things directly.
Pricing Transparency Is Part of Trust
The motor is only one part of a repower quote. Controls, harnesses, steering, propeller selection, removal, installation, testing, freight, prep, and taxes can change the final number.
That is why a low headline price is not always a better quote. Compare what is actually included and get exclusions in writing.
HBW publishes current motor pricing through the Mercury pricing reference and lets customers build an installed starting quote through the Mercury Repower Centre. The goal is not to make every boat look identical. It is to let you understand the starting number before a sales conversation.
When HBW Is a Good Fit
HBW is usually a strong fit for:
- Ontario boaters planning a Mercury repower
- Customers who want one shop to know their boat over time
- Owners who value a complete written scope and visible pricing
- Rice Lake, Kawartha, Northumberland, Durham, and GTA boaters willing to bring the boat to Gores Landing
- Customers who want the finished repower tested on the water
- Mercury owners who need parts, maintenance, diagnostics, or warranty support
If you are near Peterborough, Oshawa, Whitby, Pickering, or Cobourg, our local dealer guides explain the drive and service model honestly. HBW does not provide pickup, delivery, hauling, or mobile service. Customers bring the boat to Gores Landing.
When Another Dealer May Be Better
Another dealer may make more sense if:
- You want Yamaha, Honda, Suzuki, or another non-Mercury brand
- You need a shop within a few minutes for a small portable-motor purchase
- You want a high-end showroom experience rather than a working family marina
- You need a specialty we do not handle, such as personal watercraft or inboard tow boats
- You cannot bring the boat to Gores Landing
The best dealer is not automatically the closest, oldest, biggest, or highest-tier shop. It is the dealer whose capabilities and way of working fit the relationship you want.
Questions to Ask Any Mercury Dealer
Before choosing a shop, ask:
- What is included in the written quote? Confirm the motor, rigging, controls, propeller, installation, testing, taxes, and exclusions.
- Who will support the boat after delivery? Ask how service history, warranty registration, parts, and future diagnostics are handled.
- Will the finished repower be tested on the water? A driveway check cannot confirm performance under load.
- Does the team regularly work on your engine family and type of boat? Authorization alone does not prove job-specific experience.
- How does the shop handle added work? Unexpected findings should be explained and approved before they appear on an invoice.
- What do returning customers say? Look for consistent themes about communication, follow-through, and problem resolution.
- Will the dealer tell you when not to buy? Honest advice should include repair, repower, and wait options when they apply.
Compare us on those points too.
Areas We Serve
Ontario boaters come to Gores Landing from the Kawarthas, Northumberland County, Durham Region, and the GTA. Start with the dealer page closest to you: Peterborough, Oshawa, Whitby, Pickering, or Cobourg. For the broader pickup model, see our Durham and GTA Mercury pickup page.
Phone: 905-342-2153
Configurator: mercuryrepower.ca
Service: hbw.wiki/service
Address: 5369 Harris Boat Works Rd, Gores Landing, ON
Ready to price it out? Build a current CAD quote online at the Mercury Repower Centre.
