2017 Yamaha F15 LMHA Outboard Motor

This F15 LMHA shares its 362cc, 15 hp SOHC engine, 20-inch shaft and manual-or-electric starting with other long-shaft F15 trims, but comes in a touch lighter at a listed 115 lbs dry.

Why the lighter trim matters

On a 20-inch shaft, every pound saved helps on a small aluminum boat or jon boat where the transom and any hoist have a tighter weight ceiling than a larger hull would. The engine underneath is otherwise unchanged: a single carburetor feeding a CDI-ignition, two-cylinder SOHC block, with the same 2.08:1 gearing and 9.3:1 compression carried over from the rest of the line.

Before ordering, check that a 20-inch shaft actually suits your transom; Yamaha also sells this engine on a short shaft, and the wrong shaft length changes how the propeller sits in the water far more than a few pounds of trim weight ever will.

Small aluminum hulls flex and vibrate more than fiberglass, so it is worth checking that transom bracket bolts stay torqued after the first few outings on a new mount, regardless of which F15 trim ends up on the back of the boat.

Questions buyers ask

What's the tilt range? 67 to 71 degrees across four trim positions.

What fuel and oil does it need? 87-octane unleaded, with the oil tank holding 1.8 liters filtered or 1.6 liters unfiltered.

What's the warranty? 3-year limited pleasure boat coverage, 1-year limited commercial.