Last reviewed: 2026-05-28 > Quick answer: For 18ft aluminum V-hull boats, Mercury 115 HP is the right call. For 19 to 20ft aluminum V-hull boats, step up to 150 HP. For pontoons 18 to 20ft, the Mercury 60 Command Thrust is actually the right answer, not 115 or 150. For...
Last reviewed: 2026-05-28
Quick answer: For 18ft aluminum V-hull boats, Mercury 115 HP is the right call. For 19 to 20ft aluminum V-hull boats, step up to 150 HP. For pontoons 18 to 20ft, the Mercury 60 Command Thrust is actually the right answer, not 115 or 150. For pontoons 22 to 24ft (especially tritoons), 150 HP. HBW current sell prices: 115 Pro XS $17,320, 150 Pro XS $24,107 (CAD, pre-HST). Build a quote at mercuryrepower.ca.
The 115 vs 150 question is the most common repower decision we see at HBW. Customer has an aluminum V-hull, an aging 115 or 90, and is trying to figure out whether the next motor should match what they have or jump up a tier. Most online answers fall back on "depends on the boat" without giving you actual dividing lines.
This page gives you the actual dividing lines. By hull type, by boat length, by use case. We base it on hundreds of repowers we've rigged on Rice Lake and the Kawarthas. It's not theoretical.
The dividing lines, by hull type
These are the recommendations we give at our desk. They reflect real-world performance on Ontario waters, not best-case test tank numbers.
Aluminum V-hull boats
16 to 17 ft aluminum V-hull: 60 to 90 HP, almost never 115. The boat is light enough that 115 over-propels easily and the cost premium isn't justified.
18 ft aluminum V-hull (Lund, Princecraft, Crestliner, similar): Mercury 115 HP is the best choice for most use cases. Two adults, fishing gear, modest tubing, cruising at 30-32 MPH. The 150 is overkill on an 18-footer unless you're regularly running heavy tournament loads.
19 to 20 ft aluminum V-hull: Mercury 150 HP. The hull starts demanding more thrust to plane efficiently with a full crew and gear. The 115 will run the boat but works hard. The 150 cruises easier and gives you margin for headwinds.
21+ ft aluminum V-hull: 150 minimum, often 175 or 200. Outside the 115 vs 150 conversation.
Pontoon boats (this is where most dealers get it wrong)
Pontoons 18 to 20 ft: Mercury 60 Command Thrust is actually the best choice. Not 115. Not 150. The 60 CT with the larger Command Thrust gearcase has the right blend of low-speed thrust, fuel economy, and capacity-plate-appropriate HP for an 18 to 20 ft single-tube pontoon. We see pontoons over-powered with 115s routinely, and the math rarely works out in favour of the 115.
Pontoons 22 to 24 ft (especially tritoons): Mercury 150 HP. Tritoons add hull surface and weight, and on a 22 to 24 ft tritoon the 150 is the right baseline. 115 is undersized for a tritoon of this size.
Bowriders and runabouts
Outside the 115-vs-150 conversation in most cases. Bowriders in the 18 to 22 ft range typically run 200+ HP. If you're cross-shopping 115 and 150 for a bowrider, the hull is unusually small.
Current HBW pricing (2026)
Our most popular models in these two HP classes:
| Model |
HBW Sell Price (CAD, pre-HST) |
Notes |
| Mercury 115 ELPT FourStroke |
starts around $14,500 |
Standard 115, good for most 18ft V-hulls |
| Mercury 115 ELPT Pro XS FourStroke |
$17,320 |
Our most popular 115, performance variant |
| Mercury 150 L FourStroke |
starts around $20,500 |
Standard 150 |
| Mercury 150 L Pro XS FourStroke |
$24,107 |
Our most popular 150, performance variant |
Pricing as of 2026. Install costs vary by what's on the boat now. Build a real quote at mercuryrepower.ca for your specific situation.
What changes between 115 and 150
Beyond the obvious horsepower number.
Top speed on a 19ft aluminum V-hull (load: 3 adults + gear):
- 115 ProXS: typically 38-42 MPH
- 150 ProXS: typically 44-48 MPH
The 150 isn't a dramatic top-end difference. Where you actually feel it:
Hole-shot and time-to-plane:
- 115 on a 19ft V-hull with full crew: 6-8 seconds to plane, noticeable bow rise
- 150 on the same setup: 4-5 seconds, cleaner transition
Cruising RPM at 25 MPH:
- 115: 4,200-4,500 RPM (working harder)
- 150: 3,500-3,800 RPM (relaxed)
Fuel burn at 25 MPH cruise:
- 115: roughly 6.5-7.5 GPH
- 150: roughly 7.5-8.5 GPH
The 150 burns slightly more fuel per hour at the same cruise speed but runs at lower RPM, which is easier on the engine and on your ears. Over 200 hours of use, the fuel delta is real but not catastrophic.
Cruising RPM at 35 MPH:
- 115: 5,200-5,500 RPM (at the top of comfortable cruise)
- 150: 4,200-4,500 RPM (still comfortable)
This is the practical "ceiling speed" difference. The 150 gives you more usable cruising range above 30 MPH.
The fuel cost math (with honest Ontario use patterns)
We see online comparisons assume 100 hours of use per season as the baseline. In our shop's actual customer data, Rice Lake cottage owners average closer to 20 hours per season. 100 hours is a reasonable upper bound for boats that fish hard or travel the Trent-Severn extensively. It's not the average.
Using realistic Ontario use patterns:
20-hour season fuel cost delta (115 vs 150 at 25 MPH cruise, $1.85/L Ontario marine fuel):
- 115 fuel: 20 hr × 7 GPH × 3.785 L/gal × $1.85 = $980
- 150 fuel: 20 hr × 8 GPH × 3.785 L/gal × $1.85 = $1,120
- Annual delta: $140
100-hour season fuel cost delta (heavy use):
- 115 fuel: 100 hr × 7 GPH × 3.785 L/gal × $1.85 = $4,900
- 150 fuel: 100 hr × 8 GPH × 3.785 L/gal × $1.85 = $5,600
- Annual delta: $700
For most Rice Lake cottage users at 20 hours/year, fuel cost is not the deciding factor. The motor price delta matters more.
Motor price delta over the ownership period
Mercury 150 ProXS at HBW: $24,107. Mercury 115 ProXS at HBW: $17,320. Delta: $6,787 plus 13% HST.
If you keep the motor 10 years at 20 hr/year average use, the $6,787 motor price delta is $678 per year of ownership. At 100 hr/year heavy use, it's still $678 per year of ownership. Motor price doesn't change with use.
For a customer who'll genuinely use the extra HP (full crew, heavy load, regularly cruising at 30+ MPH), the 150 is worth it.
For a customer fishing solo or with one partner, running the boat at idle or low speed most of the time, $678/year over 10 years is real money to give up for HP you won't use.
The Command Thrust correction (a common dealer mistake)
This deserves its own section because we see it routinely on customer boats that come to us for service.
Mercury Command Thrust should ONLY be used on pontoon boats or very specific work boat applications. Note: Mercury Command Thrust tops out at 115 HP. There is no 150 CT. If a 21+ ft pontoon needs more thrust than a 115 CT delivers, the upgrade path is the standard 150 L Pro XS, not a larger CT.
Command Thrust (CT) uses a larger gearcase, larger propeller diameter, lower gear ratio (typically 2.33:1 instead of 2.07:1), and is engineered for low-speed thrust at the expense of top-end speed. It's the right call for:
- Pontoons of any size (improved low-speed handling, planing with heavier loads)
- Commercial work boats that need thrust over speed (push boats, certain barges)
- Specific tournament bass applications where hole-shot matters more than top-end (rare)
Command Thrust is the WRONG call for:
- Standard aluminum V-hull fishing boats (115 CT or 60 CT on a V-hull gives up top speed for thrust you don't need)
- Bowriders
- Runabouts
- Any planing hull where the customer values top speed
We see other dealers rig V-hull customers with 115 CT thinking "more thrust is better." For a V-hull, it's not. The standard 115 ELPT or 115 Pro XS is the correct choice on an 18 ft V-hull.
If you're being quoted a Command Thrust motor on a V-hull, ask the dealer specifically why. There may be a legitimate reason (e.g., propping up an overweight specific build), but for the majority of V-hull buyers, the standard gearcase is what you want.
What HBW checks before delivery
Repowers are the highest-risk install in our shop. New motor, old hull, unknown how the combination will run until it's in the water. At HBW we water-test every repower under load before delivery: cold start, idle quality, low-speed handling, on-plane behaviour, top-end RPM at WOT, charging system under load. If the prop is wrong, the trim is wrong, or the rigging has a problem, we catch it at our dock. The customer drives home with a known-good combination, not a hopeful one. Every repower gets an on-water test on Rice Lake before pickup. No exceptions.
Common mistakes (the things we push back on)
Customer language we hear
Ready to talk repower?
Build a quote at mercuryrepower.ca and we'll show you the exact pricing for the right HP class on your specific boat. If you want to talk through the 115-vs-150 decision honestly for your use case, call HBW.
Phone: 905-342-2153
Email: info@harrisboatworks.ca
Configurator: mercuryrepower.ca
Harris Boat Works - 5369 Harris Boat Works Rd, Gores Landing, ON. Mercury Marine dealer since 1965, current Platinum Dealer. The only Mercury dealer on Rice Lake. Largest Mercury and Mercruiser parts inventory in Ontario.
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