Tohatsu 20HP MFS20EEFL Outboard Motor

The Tohatsu MFS20EEFL brings an electric starter to the tiller side of the 20 hp line, keeping throttle and steering at the motor while swapping the pull cord for a key. A 20-inch shaft and 106 lbs put it in the middle of the tiller lineup by weight.

Wiring for electric start on a tiller boat

Electric start on a tiller engine still means running a battery to the motor, even though steering and shifting stay at the handle instead of a console; plan on a battery box and cabling here rather than assuming the install matches a manual-only tiller motor already on your boat.

Confirm this before it ships

The 20-inch shaft is sized for a standard transom; check that height against your boat first. A two-cylinder, EFI engine at 333cc powers it, pulling up toward 6,100 rpm with the throttle open, and Tohatsu backs the unit for 5 years from the date of purchase.

Q: Is there a backup way to start it? This configuration doesn't carry a manual pull cord, so keep the battery charged between outings.

Q: Where does the steering happen? At the motor; this is a tiller engine, not a console model, with the throttle and shift levers built into the handle itself.

See the rest of the Tohatsu outboard motors lineup for other shaft lengths and starter combinations at 20 hp.