2017 Tohatsu 9.8 HP MFS9.8BEFS Outboard Motor

The 2017 Tohatsu 9.8 HP MFS9.8BEFS is the short-shaft, electric-start version of this engine family, weighing in around 88 lbs with a 15-inch shaft meant for lower-transom boats. Tohatsu markets it as the lightest four-stroke in its class, aimed at jon boats, small skiffs, and sailboats needing dependable auxiliary push.

Matching it to your boat

A single carbureted cylinder bank feeds this water-cooled twin, and tiller steering keeps the controls simple. The forward, neutral and reverse shifter lives up by the cowl rather than on a console, which matters if you're used to remote-steer setups. Confirm the 15-inch shaft suits your transom height before buying; a short shaft on a tall transom lifts the prop out of clean water.

Package and coverage

Standard equipment includes the propeller, an external fuel tank with its quick-connect line, a stop-switch safety lanyard, an owner's manual, and a tool kit. Tohatsu's factory warranty on this unit runs 5 years. The fuel tank is rated 3.1 gallons on the spec sheet and the parts list, the number worth planning fuel range around for this particular engine. Cooling is thermostatically controlled and the engine carries a saltwater rating, so coastal use needs no extra protection; no battery is built into the motor itself, since electric start simply pulls from whatever battery the boat already carries.

Can this run saltwater? Yes, the cooling system is rated for saltwater use.

What's the fuel delivery? A single carburetor, not fuel injection.

Specifications