Harris Boat Works is roughly 70 minutes south of Buckhorn in Gores Landing, ON, on the south shore of Rice Lake. The drive is around 70 km via Highway 28 and County Road 9. We are a Mercury Platinum Dealer, selling Mercury since 1965 and family-owned since 1947. Buckhorn sits in the northern Kawarthas on Lower Buckhorn Lake, cottage country with a strong mix of pontoon and runabout repowers. Customers drive to Gores Landing for pickup. There is no shipping. Typical full repower: $11,000–$40,000 CAD.
Last reviewed: 2026-05-24
Quick answer: Harris Boat Works is about 70 minutes south of Buckhorn, in Gores Landing on Rice Lake. We're a Mercury Platinum Dealer, family-owned since 1947, and we repower a lot of northern Kawartha cottage boats. Every motor is water-tested on Rice Lake before pickup. No shipping. A full repower typically runs $11,000-$40,000 CAD. Build a quote at mercuryrepower.ca.
About this pickup area
Harris Boat Works is roughly 70 minutes south of Buckhorn in Gores Landing, ON, on the south shore of Rice Lake. The drive is around 70 km via Highway 28 and County Road 9. We are a Mercury Platinum Dealer, selling Mercury since 1965 and family-owned since 1947. Buckhorn sits in the northern Kawarthas on Lower Buckhorn Lake, cottage country with a strong mix of pontoon and runabout repowers. Customers drive to Gores Landing for pickup. There is no shipping. Typical full repower: $11,000–$40,000 CAD. Travel: about 70 minutes south of Buckhorn. Pickup only at 5369 Harris Boat Works Rd, Gores Landing, Ontario. Sales catchment only, no mobile service, no delivery.
Key facts
- Drive time: ~70 min south to Gores Landing
- Distance: ~70 km via Highway 28 and County Road 9
- HBW coordinates: 44.1147, -78.2564
- Family-owned since 1947, Mercury Platinum Dealer, selling Mercury since 1965
- Water anchor: Lower Buckhorn Lake on the Trent-Severn
- Typical full repower: $11,000–$40,000 CAD
How far is Harris Boat Works from Buckhorn?
Buckhorn sits on Lower Buckhorn Lake in the northern Kawarthas, on the Trent-Severn Waterway between Lovesick Lake and Buckhorn Lake. The drive south to Gores Landing runs around 70 km, about 70 minutes, via Highway 28 through Peterborough and out County Road 9 to the south shore of Rice Lake.
This is cottage country. A lot of our Buckhorn customers are second- or third-generation cottagers repowering boats they have owned for years. Many of these boats live on-site at the cottage, not on city trailers, and that changes the decision-making. Reliability and season-long confidence matter a lot because the boat is part of the place, not just a weekend toy. The drive is honest, the quote is honest, the timeline is honest.
What Mercury motors do Buckhorn boaters typically repower with?
The northern Kawartha mix skews toward family boats and cottage pontoons. Mercury FourStroke 90–150 HP is the most common repower for cruising pontoons and runabouts at $11,000–$18,000 CAD for the motor alone. Performance pontoons and bigger fiberglass move to Pro XS V8 4.6L 175–225 HP at $18,000–$28,000 CAD, often with the Mercury Boost option, 25 extra horsepower on demand for 4–6 seconds, at $1,200–$1,800 CAD on top of the base motor.
Bowriders and bigger runabouts on the larger lakes sometimes look at FourStroke big-block 200 HP at $20,000–$24,000 CAD. For aluminum fishing boats, tiller FourStroke 9.9–25 HP at $2,800–$5,500 CAD is the common path. Verado V8/V10 in the 250–400 HP range is special-order from us, starting around $25,000, and we set lead-time expectations before quoting.
Where do Buckhorn boaters launch?
Buckhorn is part of the Trent-Severn corridor, with public access on Lower Buckhorn Lake and adjoining lakes. We are not singling out a specific ramp here, fees and conditions change, and the Trent-Severn Waterway is the right source for waterway and lock information.
The water test for every Mercury we rig happens on Rice Lake, an hour south of Buckhorn. Different lake, same Mercury Platinum process. The prop call gets made for your hull and your home water, not ours.
How does pickup work for Buckhorn customers?
You drive south to Gores Landing, about 70 minutes, and pick up. We do not ship Mercury motors and we do not deliver to Buckhorn or to cottages on Lower Buckhorn Lake. Many Buckhorn customers drop the boat with us at the quote visit and return for pickup after the rigging and water test. Typical turnaround is 1–3 weeks once the motor lands. Winter bookings for spring launch, January through April, are the busiest window.
Financing runs 7.99% APR over $10,000 and 8.99% APR under $10,000, OAC. Deposits are $200 for portable HP, $500 for mid-range, $1,000 for big-block, Pro XS, or special-order Verado. For ranges by HP, see our Mercury repower cost guide. For the nearest companion read, our Bobcaygeon page covers the same northern Kawartha corridor from a different angle.
What we see at HBW
A lot of our Buckhorn customers are second- and third-generation cottagers repowering boats that live on-site, not on trailers. For boats that are part of the place, reliability and season-long confidence carry more weight than the sticker, and that shapes which Mercury we recommend.
Popular boat uses in Buckhorn
- Aluminum fishing boats
- Pontoons
- Family runabouts
FAQ
- How far is Harris Boat Works from Buckhorn?
- About 70 minutes south, roughly 70 km via Highway 28 and County Road 9, to Gores Landing on the south shore of Rice Lake.
- Do you deliver Mercury motors to Buckhorn cottages?
- No. We are pickup-only at Gores Landing. We rig and water-test on Rice Lake, then you drive south to pick up.
- What HP Mercury is common for Buckhorn Lake boats?
- Pontoons and family runabouts typically repower with Mercury FourStroke 90–150 HP. Performance pontoons and bigger fiberglass run Pro XS V8 4.6L 175–225 HP, often with the Boost option for 25 extra horsepower on demand.
- How long is the wait for a Mercury repower from Buckhorn?
- Typical turnaround is 1–3 weeks once the motor arrives. Winter bookings for spring launch are the busiest window, most Buckhorn customers book January through April.
- Should Buckhorn cottagers plan repowers before spring?
- Yes. Ice-out on Rice Lake is usually mid-April. January to April is the right window if you want the boat tested and back up north for the first long weekend.
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. The same techs who write your quote are the ones who rig and water-test the motor on Rice Lake.
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