Tohatsu 9.8HP | MFS9.8BS

At around 82 lbs, the Tohatsu 9.8HP MFS9.8BS is the lightest configuration in this engine family: a 15-inch shaft, manual pull-start, and no electric-start hardware to carry. It's aimed at boaters who want the lightest possible setup on a shorter transom, without an alternator adding weight at the stern.

Short shaft, rope start

The 15-inch shaft is sized for lower-transom boats, and starting is strictly by pull cord, so there's no alternator or charging circuit to wire up unless you add one separately down the line. That combination is what keeps overall weight down near 82 lbs on this particular configuration, lighter than any electric-start or long-shaft version sold alongside it.

Engine basics and equipment

This is a carbureted, two-cylinder four-stroke displacing 209 cc, with full throttle between 5,000 and 6,000 rpm. The crate holds a propeller, 3.1 gallons of external tank plus its line, a kill-switch lanyard, a tool kit, and an owner's manual, again with no charging system since this is the pull-start version. Tohatsu's factory warranty covers it for 5 years.

Does it have a charging system? Not as standard; this is the manual-start configuration.

How short is the shaft on this one? 15 inches, the short end of this engine's range.

Why pick manual start over electric? Mainly simplicity and weight; there's a battery and charging circuit less to maintain, plus one less thing that can fail out on the water.