2017 Tohatsu 20 HP MFS20DEFL Outboard Motor

The 2017 Tohatsu MFS20DEFL is a 20 hp four-stroke with a 20-inch long shaft, tiller steering, and electric start. Tohatsu aims it at mid-size to larger aluminum fishing hulls, skiffs, and inflatable boats, along with the heavier end of sailboats that need a dependable kicker or primary motor. A carbureted twin-cylinder, 351cc engine and a forward-mounted shift lever keep every control at the tiller.

Long shaft, electric start

The 20-inch long shaft suits a standard-height transom; pairing the wrong shaft length to a transom is the most common fitment mistake on a tiller motor like this one. Electric start draws on the engine's own 145-watt alternator rather than a separate charging source, and the top end runs 5,400 up through 6,100 rpm.

Fuel and what ships in the box

An external tank holding 3.1 gallons feeds the carburetor through a quick-connect line, and the crate also holds an aluminum propeller plus a printed manual packed with a separate parts kit. The engine carries a saltwater rating, and bore, stroke, and gear ratio appear in the spec table on this page.

Q: Does it need a separate battery charging source? No, the standard alternator handles that on this electric-start version, so a single battery covers both starting and any house loads you wire into it.

Tohatsu backs the MFS20DEFL with a 5-year warranty.

Specifications