Mercury 50HP ELPT FourStroke Outboard w/ Command Thrust

The ELPT in this new Mercury 50HP FourStroke outboard's name marks it as the remote-steered version: controls run to a console and cables rather than a tiller arm, while a 20-inch long shaft and electric start carry over from the rest of the 50HP FourStroke lineup. Like its tiller-handle sibling, it uses the Command Thrust gearcase, built to turn a larger propeller and move heavier loads at low speed rather than chase top-end speed.

What sets this one apart

Trim on this motor is powered, though Mercury's own paperwork for this unit lists just power trim, without a separately named tilt function. Full throttle runs between 5000 and 6000 rpm, displacement is rated at 60.8, and the motor relies on electronic fuel injection rather than a carburetor. At 247 lbs dry it mounts the same way most engines in this class do.

Before you buy

Because steering and shift travel through cables to a remote control box, confirm your boat already has that control run, or budget for installing one; a console-steered rig will not bolt onto a tiller setup instead. The 20-inch shaft length needs to match your transom height, and since this comes without a propeller you will still need to select one sized to your hull and load. Mercury backs the motor with a 3-year warranty, and you'll find mounting hardware, a tool kit, the quick-connect fuel fitting, and the owner's manual in the box.

Does Command Thrust change how it should be propped? Yes, its larger gearcase is built around a bigger-diameter prop, so match the propeller to that gearcase rather than to a standard 50HP unit. Mercury outboards