Best 15hp outboard these days?

[Jmarsh203]

Sorry keep posting suppose I didn’t organize all my thoughts before I sent my first reply, just woke up so it’s hard sometimes to write. To clarify Yamahas enduro series is the legendary 2 stroke line you were talking about. Yamaha never stopped making it just stopped importing it so if your someplace like Mexico you can buy a brand new Yamaha enduro 2 stroke, and the parts are still made and available all over the world.

 

[Snapdragon III]

I've owned engines in that size, 2010 and newer from Yamaha, Honda, and Suzuki. They were all good engines, but I liked the Suzuki best by a long shot. The fuel injection was a game changer. The Suzuki I have is a manual start, the first gentile pull engages the easy start mode, then the next pull starts it every singe time. I have had it for 4 years and it has never not started on that second pull. It also idles perfectly, way better than carbureted outboards. This is especially nice if you are fishing out of your dingy and spending a lot of time at idle. The other great feature is it has a super easy setup to flush it with fresh water without having to tilt down, or run the engine. Makes it much easier to flush at the dock when you get home from your weekend trip. It was also the cheapest of the three engines. I bought mine online from Foldaboat.

 

[Dswizzler]

Outside the Us

Throughout Mexico and central America Yamaha. Runs the market for sales and repairs if you ever get out of the US

 

[Orest]

How about electric

Most issues are with storing fuel with little use.
The future is here. /

 

[Don Souza]

Honda

Hi Pete,
Take a look at Honda.I know the big 150+ HP have few issues.
80's in AK we had Honda on our skiffs on the tugs. Knock the ice off pull the cord, if it didn't start there was no fuel in the tank.
The work boat at our marine has many years no issues.
Don

 

[Alisske]

All about EFI. I just bought a little 2021 25HP yamaha with EFI and it is flawless. I contribute that to the EFI part. No more carb, no more gas exposed to air creating shellac, eclectic fuel pump.... the list goes on.

That being said, I have only bought Yamaha my entire life. Would consider Suzuki, Tohatsu and Honda. but the EFI technology is a break though in small OBs.

Good luck, most engines today, even the worst manufacturers will give you a few years of trouble-free use. Some will give you decades. But the EFI is a must

 

[psneeld]

Most issues are with storing fuel with little use.
The future is here. /

Or just use your gasser more.

 

[raised kk36]

Tohatsu makes Merc, Suzuki has fuel injection. I'd go with Suzuki. What ever you buy, try to find non-ethanol fuel and always use stabilizer.

 

[CarlF]

Yes, the two stroke Yamaha’s were legendary. But I don’t like their 15 four stroke. It’s the same block as the 20 and 25. So it’s bigger and heavier than the other 15 four strikes and runs really rough at idle.

And running a two stroke when the four strikes are so good is just plain bad for the environment. They’re smokey, leave oil in the water, have lousy fuel economy, and foul spark plugs constantly.

The Honda 15 is carburetor not EFI. Don’t consider it.

Don’t have an opinion on Mercury. I don’t see many recent smaller engines. They seem focused on the big (600hp) outboards now.

I’d go with Tohatsu or Suzuki. Great engines in the smaller sizes. I have a Suzuki 25 on a Highfield 260. Best outboard I’ve ever had in 50 years of owning outboards. It’s three cylinder so a bit heavier but amazingly smooth and quiet. Can hardly hear it at idle. I’m in the Bahamas now and see almost as many newer Suzukis as Yamaha 4 strokes on local boats.

 

[syjos]

Most issues are with storing fuel with little use.
The future is here. /

Buy non ethanol marine fuel at beginning of season, stabalize it and either fill your vehicle or gas powered yard equupment with remaining fuel at the end of season.

 

[coal8726]

I have 2020 15hp Suzuki with electric start and fuel injection. Starts promptly and no problems to date

 

[Slider70]

No idea what they are like today but I have a 2006 20p Honda on my skiff that continues to astound me. It starts first key turn every time, year in and year out. I run the engine dry of fuel in the fall with extender in the fuel. Put fresh fuel in the tank in the spring, pump it up & away she goes. Amazing compared to other engines I own from riding lawn morrow to portable gensets and log splitters. Nothing I own runs as dependably as this one.

 

[ghostrider454]

Another vote for Tohatsu and Zukes

 

[kingfeet]

I have the same engine. Only compliant is my dork teenager has left it running a couple of times tied alongside the big boat because isbis so quiet.

 

[mvweebles]

Yes, the two stroke Yamaha’s were legendary. But I don’t like their 15 four stroke. It’s the same block as the 20 and 25. So it’s bigger and heavier than the other 15 four strikes and runs really rough at idle.

And running a two stroke when the four strikes are so good is just plain bad for the environment. They’re smokey, leave oil in the water, have lousy fuel economy, and foul spark plugs constantly.

The Honda 15 is carburetor not EFI. Don’t consider it.

Don’t have an opinion on Mercury. I don’t see many recent smaller engines. They seem focused on the big (600hp) outboards now.

I’d go with Tohatsu or Suzuki. Great engines in the smaller sizes. I have a Suzuki 25 on a Highfield 260. Best outboard I’ve ever had in 50 years of owning outboards. It’s three cylinder so a bit heavier but amazingly smooth and quiet. Can hardly hear it at idle. I’m in the Bahamas now and see almost as many newer Suzukis as Yamaha 4 strokes on local boats.

I assume you mean a 360????

Regardless, thanks for the input. I'm heavily leaning towards a Tohatsu.

Peter

 

[magna 6882]

I have had old Johnson 2stroke,dirty but light,a honda then two tahatsus.The 20 with fuel injection beats them all for me.

 

[ranger58sb]

Tohatsu makes Merc, Suzuki has fuel injection. I'd go with Suzuki. What ever you buy, try to find non-ethanol fuel and always use stabilizer.

Tohatsu has fuel injection now, too.

-Chris

 

[Mark Laurnen]

Whatever you decide upon, check out GLODOK MARINE ENGINE before you purchase. I believe they carry Honda, Mercury and Suzuki.

 

[Hippocampus]

Had extremely good performance and luck with the Suzuki 15hp. And it makes it’s own electricity. Enough for lights , nav and fish finder. Prior a big 2 stroke fan but this one slips gas and has a great hole shot. Only downside is weight. Fully ecu injected. Put a really good prefiltering system on it and it never fails.

 

[Bigaltheppal]

yamaha used to be the one and only, now Tohatsu is by far superior!

 

[psneeld]

yamaha used to be the one and only, now Tohatsu is by far superior!

Have any even anecdotal proof even suggesting that?

 

[Alisske]

Have any even anecdotal proof even suggesting that?

Lol. I was thinking the same thing. But i figured it was just someone who loved tohatsu and hyperbole. (E.g “my moms pasta sauce is the beat in the world!”). Which it is BTW.

For the record. I reallyI like tohatsu. Would be on my list to buy.

 

[Bigaltheppal]

Proof of my opinion, I was a charter boat captain in the Caribbean for 20 years, skippering all sorts of sail and power boats from 70 ft. to 40 ft., been boating ever since add another 20 years. I currently own 2 -30 ft trawlers, smaller skiffs from 20 ft to 13 ft with two stroke and four stroke engines, (four of them). Not counting my racing hydroplane with a merc hurricane. I was crew on the Greenpeace ship Rainbow warrior maintaining the outboards and inflatables. "Been there and done some of that"

 

[psneeld]

Proof of my opinion, I was a charter boat captain in the Caribbean for 20 years, skippering all sorts of sail and power boats from 70 ft. to 40 ft., been boating ever since add another 20 years. I currently own 2 -30 ft trawlers, smaller skiffs from 20 ft to 13 ft with two stroke and four stroke engines, (four of them). Not counting my racing hydroplane with a merc hurricane. I was crew on the Greenpeace ship Rainbow warrior maintaining the outboards and inflatables. "Been there and done some of that"

Keep going, a lot of people here have lots of both pro and personal experience.

I too can offer up a lifetime of boating and professional experience assisting those in distress on the water...but unless I offer more, it's still only an opinion unless I can back it up with a bunch of other input.

I can say all the rentals around me and the charter guys all run Yammies. The one pretty good friend who is a charter guy got stuck with Mercs on the Whaler he bought...he wishes he had and will swap to Yammies too.

So my anecdotal evidence is usually for Yammies or a close second Zukes which after the initial gold rush don't have the following they once had.

At least say why in your opinion Tootsies are far superior....

 

[DNT99611]

Like many of you I have a number of outboards from most of the major players. For me I like my Suzuki's the best but that is because I like the dealer the best. Other than that I would be hard pressed to pick one brand over the others.

 

[mvweebles]

Keep going, a lot of people here have lots of both pro and personal experience.



I too can offer up a lifetime of boating and professional experience assisting those in distress on the water...but unless I offer more, it's still only an opinion unless I can back it up with a bunch of other input.



I can say all the rentals around me and the charter guys all run Yammies. The one pretty good friend who is a charter guy got stuck with Mercs on the Whaler he bought...he wishes he had and will swap to Yammies too.



So my anecdotal evidence is usually for Yammies or a close second Zukes which after the initial gold rush don't have the following they once had.



At least say why in your opinion Tootsies are far superior....

Credential chest-thumping aside (I have near zero with outboards), my sense is Yamaha is still a gold standard, but not in all classes which is why I asked specifically about 20hp. Before I started this thread, I thought Tohatsu was a second tier brand. I'm now leaning heavily towards their 20hp OB. I remember 35+ years ago when Honda first introduced a 4-stroke that took the industry by storm (whatever happened to Johnson and Evinrude??). Then Yamaha's Enduro line of lean 2-strokes really came on strong. Now I guess EFI in even small displacement engines such as the sub-25hp class rules. Yamaha appears to be a laggard in the smaller engines, but perhaps I'm wrong.

Interestinf evolution.

Peter

 

[diver dave]

15hp 2 st yami is bulletproof but my 15 2st merc is overall better IMO. We did a head to head fuel consumption test, running from chub to around little harbour in berries. Starting with each 10’ inflatables, 6 gal, and two similar sized adults in each. I had to give some fuel to the yami fans to get them back. Plus, only the merc has shift on the stalk which i really favor. And, its only 74 lbs. both leave a mosquito unfriendly smoke trail. Merc has the anti-corrosion design figured out too. At least in ‘89.

 

[AZ2Loop]

No idea what they are like today but I have a 2006 20p Honda on my skiff that continues to astound me. It starts first key turn every time, year in and year out. I run the engine dry of fuel in the fall with extender in the fuel. Put fresh fuel in the tank in the spring, pump it up & away she goes. Amazing compared to other engines I own from riding lawn morrow to portable gensets and log splitters. Nothing I own runs as dependably as this one.

Slider, I have the same 20HP Honda from the same era -- 2006. According to this thread, since they are not EFI, nobody should consider them. Mine starts every time and and runs perfectly, sips fuel, and idles so quietly you don't even know it's running. I've never needed to take the carb apart. I had water in the fuel once due to a failed cap on the tank. Added fresh fuel and that's all it took. Fantastic little motor. Of course, it's only 16 years old, so a bit unproven . Knock on wood, it's been flawless.

 

[gt7834a]

I had a 25 hp Yamaha. The most rattally engine I’ve ever encountered. I hated that thing. One day it just wouldn’t start and no one could fix it even though it was only 10 years old. I have replaced it with a Tahatsu and find it to be a much better engine

 

[Hippocampus]

Wouldn’t count out Suzuki. Don’t have extensive experience beyond using the ding as the daily driver while living aboard for 8 years.
Yammies get stolen first in the Caribbean. Good side-parts available and fairly bulletproof. Down side fairly heavy, parts expensive doesn’t make electricity you can use.
Suzuki- bulletproof. Never had any issues with it, parts slightly cheaper, a few lbs less, makes enough electricity so you can use it for other stuff. Better fuel economy.
My personal list for 9.9 -15hps I’ve owned.
Merc made outboards are the bottom of the barrel. Even with external filters thing is way too sensitive to quality of fuel. A constant hassle. Plastic parts inside that break.
Tohatsu-very decent motor. Some pot metal or Al that can bend in linkages. Less money than Yamaha
Suzuki- excellent no fail ever motor with great hole shot and fuel economy. Easy ergonomics in use.Less money. We bought new never used but one model year old and paid 2/3rds of what the Yamaha would have costed.