Mercury 115 ProXS Outboard Motor: 2017 Review

Let’s get one thing straight with the Mercury 115 ProXS – the 115 on the cowl has to be a lie. We’ve heard rumours the 115hp Pro XS was closer to 125hp at the prop — and it feels it.

Mercury 115 ProXS

At the recent Australia’s Greatest Boats 2017 shootout we got to reviewed a new Mercury 115 Pro XS on the back of an Anglapro Sniper 514 Pro, a great Aussie-made side console designed for fishing. We ran two props before settling on a 19-inch pitch that gave us a staggering (for its size) 41kts at 6100rpm. That’s a touch under what it should reach but after a few more running hours the engine should reach its maximum 6300rpm.

The Anglapro hull weighs only a touch over 500kg; add fuel, two burly testers and the Mercury marine engine’s low 165kg dry weight, and the on-water balance would still be under 900kg, hence the screaming speed.

Steering was hydraulic and even though the torpedo is streamlined, it gripped well in turns. Gauges were the excellent VesselView, Mercury’s own touchscreen colour LCD.

Fuel burn was good though we don’t know how it compares to its main rival, the Yamaha 115 VMAX SHO. At best cruise we were running at only 3000rpm and burning 9.4 litres per hour at 15 knots. This works out at 1.6 nautical miles or 3km per litre.

The engine is a single overhead cam (SOHC) 2065cc inline four cylinder. Some of the standout features are a timing chain that reduces maintenance and the optional Command Thrust gearbox that raises the already high 2.07:1 gear ratio to a super-high 2.38:1 gear ratio. The Command Thrust gearbox allows the 20 or 25-inch leg to swing big props, like our stainless steel 14.3x19 inch three-blade Enertia.

Mercury 115 ProXS specs

With Mercury CommandThrust

TYPE Inline four-cylinder fuel-injected petrol outboard motor

RATED HP 115

DISPLACEMENT 2065cc

WEIGHT 165kg

LEG LENGTH 20in

GEAR RATIO 2.38:1

PROPELLER Enertia stainless steel 13.375x19in