Tohatsu 20HP MFS20EEPS Outboard Motor

The Tohatsu MFS20EEPS puts console steering on the short-shaft side of the 20 hp line, with an electric starter and a rope as backup on a 15-inch shaft, weighing 102 lbs.

Console steering, short shaft

Because this one steers and shifts through a helm control head rather than a handle, check that your boat's console wiring and cable run suit that setup before ordering it over a tiller model elsewhere in the range. The 15-inch shaft places it with lower-transom boats among the console-steered options at 20 hp.

Starting and power

A key-turn starter handles routine starts, with a pull cord as backup if the battery runs down, so neither a dead cell nor a stuck starter leaves you stranded at the dock. The two-cylinder, 333cc EFI block runs with exceptional torque and low vibration, with the throttle band topping out near 6,100 rpm, and Tohatsu's coverage on it runs 5 years from purchase.

Q: Will this connect to a boat already wired for console controls? Yes, that's the setup this steering is built to plug into directly.

Q: Can it be started by hand if needed? Yes, the rope backup works regardless of the battery's charge.

Q: Does the shaft length affect how deep the prop sits? Yes, a 15-inch shaft is matched to a lower transom so the propeller runs at the right depth for that hull.

Q: What's the engine weight exactly? 102 lbs, as equipped with console steering and the dual starter setup.