Tohatsu 15HP MFS15ES Outboard Motor

This listing is for a Tohatsu-built 15 hp four-stroke, model MFS15ES, running a short 15-inch shaft with the operator steering and shifting right at the engine rather than from a console. At 95 lbs, a single adult can lift it onto a transom without extra help in most cases.

Matching shaft length to your boat

Measure from the transom's top edge down to the hull bottom before buying; a 15-inch shaft is sized for shorter transoms, and mounting it on a taller transom runs the propeller too shallow for efficient thrust. Tiller steering keeps the rigging simple since there's no cable run to a console to plan around.

Engine details

Power is a two-cylinder, 333cc EFI engine, reaching 5,400 to 6,100 rpm at the top of the throttle, started by pulling a rope rather than turning a key. Tohatsu covers the motor for 5 years.

Q: Does it need a battery? No, manual start means no battery or electrical starter circuit is required to run it.

Q: What boats is a 15-inch shaft meant for? Smaller craft with lower transoms, such as inflatables, dinghies, and some jon boats, where the deeper reach of a longer shaft isn't needed.

Because there's no electric system to maintain, upkeep on this one comes down to the basics: fresh fuel, a clean spark plug, and a water-pump check before the season starts, the same routine that keeps any small rope-start four-stroke running reliably for years.