Tohatsu 9.9HP MFS9.9ES Outboard Motor

The Tohatsu MFS9.9ES trades remote controls for a tiller handle and drops electric start entirely, leaving a manual pull-cord only, which brings its listed weight down to 95 lbs, lighter than its electric-start siblings. It shares the same 9.9 hp, two-cylinder, 15-inch-shaft foundation as the rest of the family.

Tiller steering, hand-pulled starting

With tiller control, throttle, shift, and steering all live on the handle at the back of the engine, which suits small skiffs, jon boats, and dinghies better than a console setup. Starting by hand-pull cord means there is no battery to wire in, charge, or maintain, trading push-button convenience for one less system that can fail on the water.

Handling the lighter weight

At 95 lbs this is noticeably lighter at the stern than an electric-start motor in the same class, which can change how a small boat trims and handles compared with a heavier remote-control engine. That lighter build is a direct result of leaving out the starter motor, solenoid, and charging wiring altogether.

Before you order

Confirm the 15-inch shaft fits your transom; this is Tohatsu's short-shaft layout for this horsepower class. EFI still handles fuel delivery here even without electric start, and full throttle runs in the same 5400-6100 rpm band as the rest of the 9.9 hp line.

Displacement? 333cc over two cylinders, with a 5-year warranty.