A Mercury 60 HP FourStroke Command Thrust repower on an 18-foot deep-V aluminum boat typically runs $10,000–$13,000 all-in at Harris Boat Works in Gores Landing. That covers the new motor, removal of the old standard-gearcase 60, new controls and cables, propeller selection, fuel system inspection, and a water test on Rice Lake. Timeline is 2–3 weeks. Same horsepower rating as a standard 60 but with a bigger gearcase and higher-pitch prop, the Command Thrust gives heavy hulls the push they actually need.
Last reviewed: 2026-05-24
Quick answer: A Mercury 60 HP FourStroke Command Thrust repower on an 18-foot deep-V aluminum boat typically runs $10,000–$13,000 all-in at Harris Boat Works in Gores Landing. That covers the new motor, removal of the old standard-gearcase 60, new controls and cables, propeller selection, fuel system inspection, and a water test on Rice Lake. Timeline is 2–3 weeks. Build a quote at mercuryrepower.ca.
A Mercury 60 HP FourStroke Command Thrust repower on an 18-foot deep-V aluminum boat typically runs $10,000–$13,000 all-in at Harris Boat Works in Gores Landing. That covers the new motor, removal of the old standard-gearcase 60, new controls and cables, propeller selection, fuel system inspection, and a water test on Rice Lake. Timeline is 2–3 weeks. Same horsepower rating as a standard 60 but with a bigger gearcase and higher-pitch prop, the Command Thrust gives heavy hulls the push they actually need.
Key facts
- Old motor: standard Mercury 60 HP FourStroke
- New motor: Mercury 60 HP FourStroke Command Thrust
- Boat: 18-foot deep-V aluminum (heavy hull)
- Cost range: $10,000–$13,000 CAD all-in
- Timeline: 2–3 weeks
- Same HP, bigger gearcase + higher-thrust prop
- Warranty: Mercury Limited Warranty, confirmed at quote
- Deposit: $500 for mid-range orders
What was on the boat before?
The candidate is a heavy 18-foot deep-V aluminum with a wide beam, full canvas, and a transom plate rated 60 HP. Owners often have a standard 60 HP FourStroke that came with the boat. Nothing is broken. The motor runs clean.
The complaint is consistent. Two people on board, a livewell full of water, a kicker, and a full fuel tank, the standard 60 takes too long to get the bow down and onto plane. Hole shot is in the 8–12 second range. At cruise the boat is fine, but the moment a wake hits the bow, the boat drops off plane and the slow climb back up starts again. With a 60 HP cap on the transom plate, the option to just go bigger is off the table.
Why upgrade to Command Thrust at the same HP?
Command Thrust is Mercury's heavy-hull gearcase. The horsepower rating stays at 60. What changes is the gearcase under the powerhead, a larger-diameter torpedo, larger gears, and a high-thrust prop with more blade area. The motor turns a lower gear ratio, which means each prop revolution moves more water.
The practical result is more hole shot and more low-end pull at the cost of a small top-end drop. On the same 18-foot deep-V, a Command Thrust 60 cuts hole shot time roughly in half, from 10 seconds to 5 seconds in our typical test loads. The boat sits at a better trim attitude on plane. Heavy boat behaviour (fighting wakes, climbing back on plane, holding plane at lower RPM) all gets noticeably better.
Top end gives up roughly 2–3 mph compared with the standard 60, depending on prop pitch. For a heavy fishing or family aluminum that does 95% of its work between idle and cruise, that trade is a clear win.
The other reason owners pick Command Thrust over jumping to bigger HP: insurance, transom rating, and resale. Staying at the rated 60 HP keeps the boat inside its design envelope and inside the insurance class it was rated for.
What did the job involve?
A standard-to-Command-Thrust swap is mostly a propeller and gearcase change in terms of customer-visible difference, but it's a full motor swap under the cowl. We confirm the transom plate rating (the 60 HP cap stays valid), pull the old 60, inspect the transom and bracket, and mount the new Command Thrust 60 with new bolts. New controls and cables go in to match Mercury's current specs.
The prop selection is where the magic happens. Command Thrust uses different prop spline and pitch range than the standard 60 gearcase. We try 2–3 high-thrust aluminum or stainless props until WOT RPM lands in Mercury's spec band cleanly under load. Pitch is typically in the 11–13-inch range for an 18-foot deep-V, much lower than a comparable standard 60 would run.
Water test on Rice Lake confirms WOT, hole shot, gauge function, and trim behaviour. Pickup-only at Gores Landing, we don't ship or deliver. See our repower process for the full sequence.
What did it cost?
All-in lands between $10,000 and $13,000 CAD. The Mercury 60 Command Thrust sits a little higher than a standard 60 because of the bigger gearcase. The new controls, prop, removal, fuel system check, and water test build the rest. Trade-in on a clean standard 60 takes a few thousand off, fill the form and we email a CAD figure within one business day.
Financing is 8.99% APR under $10,000, 7.99% APR over $10,000 on approved credit. A $500 deposit holds the order. See our cost guide for full pricing.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is Command Thrust on a Mercury outboard?
- Command Thrust is Mercury's heavy-hull gearcase option. Same horsepower as a standard motor, but a larger-diameter torpedo, bigger gears, and a high-thrust propeller. It pushes more water per revolution, which means better hole shot, better trim attitude, and more pull on heavy or oversized hulls.
- Will a Command Thrust 60 give me more top speed?
- Not really. Top speed is usually similar or slightly lower than a standard 60 because the gearing trades top-end for thrust. What you gain is hole shot, mid-range pull, and control of a heavy boat, exactly what a deep-V aluminum or heavy pontoon needs.
- Why not just go to a bigger HP standard motor?
- Sometimes that's the right answer. But if your transom is rated for 60 HP and a bigger motor would overpower the hull or push you into a higher insurance class, Command Thrust is the smart way to get more from the same HP.
- How long does the repower take?
- Typically 2–3 weeks from quote signing to water test pickup at HBW. Mercury-to-Mercury swaps on a clean transom are fast. Pickup-only at Gores Landing.
Visit Harris Boat Works
Harris Boat Works · 5369 Harris Boat Works Rd, Gores Landing, ON K0K 2E0 · Phone (905) 342-2153 · Family-owned since 1947 · Mercury Platinum Dealer, selling Mercury since 1965.
We're the repower side of Harris Boat Works, a family marina in Gores Landing serving boaters since 1947. Command Thrust prop selection takes a few water-test laps to land right, and we always land it before pickup.
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