Quick Answer For most 15, 16 ft aluminum fishing boats with two adults, the Mercury 40 HP is enough, but the 60 HP is the smarter long-term call for anyone who adds a third person, tows a tube, or wants headroom for a heavier load. The price difference is about $2,602. On a...
Quick Answer
For most 15, 16 ft aluminum fishing boats with two adults, the Mercury 40 HP is enough, but the 60 HP is the smarter long-term call for anyone who adds a third person, tows a tube, or wants headroom for a heavier load. The price difference is about $2,602. On a pontoon under 20 ft, the 60 ELPT Command Thrust is where most customers land.
Honest power pick
Should you choose Mercury 40 or 60 HP?
For 14 to 18 ft aluminum boats, the answer usually comes down to capacity plate and load.
Choose 40 HP if
- ✓Boat is 14 to 16 ft aluminum (Lund, Princecraft, Smoker Craft, etc.)
- ✓Capacity plate caps you at 40 HP
- ✓Use is fishing, calm-water cruising, 2 to 3 people max
- ✓You want lighter weight on the transom (35 to 40 lb savings vs 60)
- ✓Tiller is preferred and 40 HP tiller models suit your setup
Pick 40 HP FourStroke
Choose 60 HP if
- ✓Boat is 16 to 18 ft aluminum or fibreglass
- ✓Capacity plate allows 60 HP or higher
- ✓You carry 3 to 4 people, gear, or tow a small tube
- ✓You want stronger hole shot with a loaded boat
- ✓The boat will see bigger water (Trent-Severn, Kawarthas, Lake Simcoe)
Pick 60 HP FourStroke
When in doubt:60 HP gives margin without much more fuel cost. 40 HP is the right call only when your capacity plate caps you there, or weight on the transom is critical.
Mercury 40 vs 60 HP: Which Outboard for Your Ontario Boat?
The 40-vs-60 question comes through our shop more often than almost any other. Both motors are reliable FourStroke EFI units with the same 3-year warranty. Both start cold. Both run for a thousand-plus hours with proper maintenance. The spec sheets look similar enough that picking wrong is easy.
Here's the real difference: it's not about what your boat does at the dock. It's about what it does in August, loaded up, running into a 15-knot headwind on Rice Lake.
Harris Boat Works has been a Mercury dealer on Rice Lake since 1965. We sell and rig both motors on every common Ontario hull type. Customers are happy with both, and occasionally regret which end of the range they chose. This guide saves you from the regret side.
The Real Decision Isn't About HP, It's About Load
A 40 HP motor pushes a 15, 16 ft aluminum boat with two adults at a comfortable cruise of 22, 25 mph, topping out near 30 mph. It's a perfectly good walleye boat or duck-hunting tender, until you add a third person, a full tank, and a cooler full of ice. At that point, a 40 is working.
A 60 HP on the same hull turns the same loaded trip into a 28, 32 mph cruise. It has headroom for a fourth person and a kicker on a bracket.
The moment you feel an underpowered motor most is getting on plane with a full load. A 40 that felt right at launch will feel tight in August when the family's all aboard. People rarely lighten their boats over time, they add gear, passengers, and batteries. A 60 today is the same boat with three more people five years from now.
That said: the capacity plate is the ceiling. If your boat is rated for 40 HP max, 40 HP it is. If you're not sure, look at the inner transom. The plate is there.
Specs Side-by-Side
|
Mercury 40 ELPT FourStroke |
Mercury 60 ELPT FourStroke |
| Powerhead |
3-cylinder, 747 cc |
4-cylinder, 995 cc |
| Weight (long shaft) |
~227 lbs |
~250 lbs |
| Shaft options |
20" (L) or 25" (XL) |
20" (L) or 25" (XL) |
| Alternator |
18 amp |
25 amp |
| WOT RPM range |
5,500, 6,000 |
5,500, 6,000 |
| Fuel system |
EFI |
EFI |
| Tiller version |
40 ELHPT, yes |
60 ELHPT, yes |
| Command Thrust |
40 ELPT CT, yes |
60 ELPT CT, yes |
| Warranty |
3-year limited + 3-year corrosion |
3-year limited + 3-year corrosion |
The 60 weighs 23 lbs more. On a light 15 ft aluminum with a transom already sitting low, that changes the resting attitude of the boat. The 60 is smoother at idle, has more amperage for charging electronics, and, if you're running a fish-finder, livewell, and stereo off the same battery, the 25-amp alternator matters.
Performance on Common Ontario Boats
These are real-world figures from boats rigged by Harris Boat Works. Conditions, load, and hull cleanliness all affect the numbers. Treat them as ballparks.
15, 16 ft aluminum fishing boat
(Lund SSV-16, Princecraft 162, Crestliner FishHawk 1650, Legend ProSport)
- 40 HP: 28, 32 mph WOT with two adults. Drops to 24, 26 mph cruise with three people and gear. A working motor on the right hull.
- 60 HP: 35, 38 mph WOT with two adults. Comfortable 28, 30 mph cruise loaded. On a hull rated to 60, gives headroom to tow a tube occasionally.
17, 18 ft aluminum runabout
(Princecraft Sport, Lund Adventure)
- 40 HP: Underpowered for this hull class. The boat is rated for 75, 90 HP. A 40 will run, but it won't plane with the family aboard.
- 60 HP: 32, 35 mph WOT. Comfortable 26, 28 mph cruise. The 60 is the minimum we'd put on a 17 ft hull. A 60 CT on a heavier 18 ft deep-V is a stronger call.
16, 18 ft small pontoon
- 40 HP: Only on a 16 ft pontoon, lightly loaded, and ideally with the Command Thrust gearcase. Even then, expect a slow planing time.
- 60 HP: Fine on 18 ft. The 60 Command Thrust is the popular call, pontoons reward the bigger gear ratio more than fishing boats do.
20 ft pontoon
The 60 CT is the minimum we recommend on a 20 ft pontoon with four people aboard. Below that, the boat won't plane reliably when loaded. We see the consequences of undersizing pontoons every season, lugging motors, slow times getting on plane, premature wear.
You can build a live CAD quote for your repower online at Mercury Repower Centre.
The Command Thrust Question
Both the 40 and 60 are available with Mercury's Command Thrust (CT) gearcase. Here's what it does: a larger lower unit, longer gear ratio (2.33:1 instead of 2.07:1 on the standard 60), and a bigger prop. The result is more thrust at low RPM, which is exactly what a pontoon needs.
The CT upgrade costs about $300, $400 at MSRP. On a pontoon repower, it pays for itself the first weekend the boat planes on the first try with full load.
If the boat is a 16 ft aluminum fishing boat that lives at WOT chasing walleye, skip the CT and save the money.
What About the 50 HP?
It exists. The 50 ELPT FourStroke runs the same 4-cylinder powerhead as the 60 with a different ECU map. It makes sense in two narrow situations: your capacity plate maxes out at 50 HP (not 60), or you want the 4-cylinder smoothness and amperage of the 60 but your hull is marginal for it.
For most repowers, customers pick the 40 or the 60. The 50 is a niche pick, but we stock and quote it. Shopping smaller? Our Mercury 9.9 vs 15 HP tiller comparison covers the small-motor decision points for jon boats, kickers, and sailboat auxiliaries.
Cost: All-In Repower Comparison
All prices in CAD, before HST, before any trade-in credit.
| Configuration |
All-In Installed (Motor + Rigging + Controls + Prop) |
| 40 ELPT FourStroke |
roughly $11,000, $12,500 |
| 60 ELPT FourStroke |
roughly $13,500, $15,000 |
| 60 ELPT Command Thrust |
roughly $14,000, $15,500 |
Install and rigging in this class typically adds $1,500, $3,000 over the motor price, depending on what the boat needs: controls, gauges, fuel lines, prop, battery cabling. For current Mercury motor pricing on every HP class, see our full reference.
A working older motor typically adds $1,000, $3,000 in trade-in credit depending on age, hours, and condition. It's worth asking.
Why the HP Call Matters More on Rice Lake
Rice Lake is shallow and weedy. A 40 HP on a loaded 16 ft aluminum that should have had a 60 can overheat its impeller pulling weeds in the south basin. We replace those impellers in July and August every season.
Wind picks up fast out here. By the time you're punching home into a 15-knot west wind off Hiawatha Island, an underpowered motor is the difference between a 30-minute run and a 60-minute one.
And for anyone locking through the Trent-Severn, a 16 ft aluminum with a 60 HP is a near-perfect size: light enough to handle in the chamber, fast enough to make Peterborough and back in a day.
Related guides
Prices shown reflect HBW's current Mercury dealer pricing. For live updates as Mercury issues new dealer pricing, see our Mercury pricing reference.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the 40 HP enough for a 16 ft aluminum fishing boat?
Yes, with two adults and standard gear. With three or more people and a full cooler, the 60 gives you meaningfully more headroom.
Which motor is right for a 20 ft pontoon?
The 60 ELPT Command Thrust at minimum. If the pontoon is a tritoon, or you regularly carry six people and tow tubes, consider the 90 CT.
Do I need Command Thrust on an aluminum fishing boat?
Rarely. CT is designed for flat-bottom, heavy-hull applications like pontoons. An aluminum fishing boat that runs at speed benefits more from the standard gearcase's lower drag.
How much more does the 60 cost than the 40?
About $2,602 CAD difference in dealer selling price. The 60 CT over the 40 is about $2,940. Install and rigging run $1,500, $3,000 on top of either.
Can I check what my capacity plate says online?
The capacity plate is physical, on the inner transom of your boat. If you're unsure what it says, pull the boat out and look. The HP limit on that plate is not negotiable.
Does HBW rig motors in the shop or at the launch?
In the shop. Every install is done by our techs at our facility in Gores Landing. Sea trial is included before the boat leaves.
Ready to Spec Your 40 or 60 Repower?
Build a complete quote in about three minutes at mercuryrepower.ca. Pick your HP, configuration, shaft length, and prop, see real CAD pricing including controls.
Have a specific boat situation? Call us at 905-342-2153. Or submit a service request at hbw.wiki/service. Five minutes of conversation usually settles the 40-vs-60 question for good.
Harris Boat Works, 5369 Harris Boat Works Rd, Gores Landing, ON K0K 2E0.
Related guides: Mercury 90 HP FourStroke review | Mercury 115 HP FourStroke review | Ontario Mercury Outboard Price Guide | Should I repower or buy a new boat?
Ready to price it out? Build a live CAD quote for your repower online at the Mercury Repower Centre.
