Honda 15HP Power Thrust Portable Outboard | BFP15D3XHT

Honda fits the BFP15D3XHT with its Power Thrust lower unit and matching propeller instead of the standard gear case used on its other 15 hp motors, a change the maker credits with a 60 percent reverse-thrust gain and a 15 percent forward-thrust gain over the standard setup. It sits on a 25-inch shaft with tiller steering and power tilt, starts electrically with a manual cord as backup, and at 137 pounds is the heaviest of Honda's 15 hp tiller outboards in this lineup.

Why choose Power Thrust

The extra reverse bite helps most backing a heavier hull against wind or current, or holding position against a dock, while the forward gain shows itself getting a loaded boat moving from a stop. Underneath the different gearing sits the same 350cc, two-cylinder, carbureted engine running the rest of this 15 hp family, its full throttle opening somewhere between 4500 and 5500 rpm.

Before ordering

Twenty-five inches is the longer shaft Honda builds in its 15 hp range, meant for a deeper transom than the 15-inch versions use; check that measurement against your boat first. Power tilt on this unit means the running angle adjusts at the flick of a switch rather than a hand lever, useful for trailering or beaching in shallow water.

What's included

In the box: the Power Thrust propeller sized to this gearing, the onboard charging system, an outside-mounted tank holding 3 gallons and plumbed with its own fuel line, power tilt hardware, a lanyard kill switch, and the owner's manual.

Will a standard 15 hp propeller fit this lower unit? No. Is there a backup starter? Yes, a manual pull cord.