Tohatsu 6HP | MFS6DWS

A lower transom than the long-shaft MFS6DWL calls for is exactly what the MFS6DWS is built around. It carries the same 123cc, single-cylinder engine rated at 6 hp, carbureted and four-stroke, shortened to a 15-inch shaft. Steering is by tiller, starting is manual, and weight comes to 56 lbs, with the full-throttle band running 5000 to 6000 rpm.

Matching this shaft to the hull

Small inflatables, kayaks rigged for a motor mount and dinghies with a shallow transom are where this shaft length belongs; putting a longer-shaft motor on that kind of hull would bury the gear case too deep in the water.

Handling this motor day to day

Revised front and back carrying handles make lifting it easier between storage and the boat, and it can now rest in 3 different positions for storage without oil migrating into the cylinder, a detail that matters for anyone trailering the motor on its side. The 6 hp family ships in white only.

The package includes the owner's manual, a service tool kit and a stop-switch lanyard, along with the propeller and an external 3.1-gallon fuel tank with its fuel line hose.

Is 56 lbs light enough for one person to handle alone? Yes, that is part of why this size is common on small, frequently-moved craft. Warranty runs 5 years.

Will this run a jon boat on plane? At 6 hp it is better suited to light inflatables and dinghies than to pushing a jon boat up onto plane with a load aboard, especially once gear and passengers are added.