Tohatsu. Any Opinions?

[Glenny]

Looking at a 9.8 Tohatsu and wondering if anyone here owns one. Yea or nay? Thanks. G

[Sunzuki]

For the life of me, I couldn't own anything with a name like that.

Yamaha.

[BCBRAD]

A 9.9hp Mercury 4 stroke has a Tohatsu powerhead, they are also marketed under different brands. They are very popular in south east Asia and for good reasons economy and reliability being the first two.
Our Mercury/Tohatsu is in its 5th season as a kicker on our fish boat, no trouble what so ever, burns ~0.5 liters gas /hour compared to the Honda at 1 liter / hour, Honda did a smoke show in year 5 (~500hrs) and that was it for that.
Also, the brand Yamaha has become Americanized over the years as with many other non-domestic items, Honda is an other.

[albravo2]

I've owned two of the older 80s models, a 40 and a 30. Strong, reliable and simple. Just like me:-)

No reservations at all.

[300rum700]

We have one as a kicker on our jet boat. Runs like a champ. I wouldn't hesitate, as stated above mere uses their motors.

[Glenny]

Sounds good fellers. Thanks for the info.

[Squamch]

Tohatsu makes most companies sub-10hp offerings if I remember correctly.

[bankshot]

I don't own one I have a Yamaha T8, I highly recommend Yamaha and Costco just happens to be selling them right now at a very good price. Tohatsu apparently is the second largest outboard manufacturer on the planet, they also make Nissan, Evinrude and Mercury (under 30hp) outboards. I have had a Mercury 9.9 and hated it, hard to start, died while idling and the tilt mechanism was a pain.

[Sofa King]

i think nissan and tohatsu are the same.
i have a 40hp nissan, its been awesome.

[SeaScene]

Buddy owns one... says it is Yamaha and identical if you took the lid off. Very good name in sailing game for dingy.

[Sofa King]

Buddy owns one... says it is Yamaha and identical if you took the lid off. Very good name in sailing game for dingy.
yup.
its kinda like electronics, batteries, javex, etc.
lots is the same shit just with different labelling.

[mikeboehm]

As far as i know both honda and yamaha make there own outboards and all there own parts. they have nothing to do with tohatsu

[BCBRAD]

I don't own one I have a Yamaha T8, I highly recommend Yamaha and Costco just happens to be selling them right now at a very good price. Tohatsu apparently is the second largest outboard manufacturer on the planet, they also make Nissan, Evinrude and Mercury (under 30hp) outboards. I have had a Mercury 9.9 and hated it, hard to start, died while idling and the tilt mechanism was a pain.

These engines run very lean the first one did not have power tilt (wife couldn't manage the manual tilt) so traded one with, we just pulled the lead plug and adjusted the carb ,starting and running issues disappeared. The second one with the power tilt had carb adjusted before it left the dealer, all good after 4+ years.

[BromBones]

Tohatsu is one of the oldest outboard engine manufacturers. All the Mercury engines 30hp and under are built by Tohatsu. Some of the Merc/Tohatsu engines are identical other than badging. A lot of proud Mercury owners have a hard time believing that, but fact is fact. Also build Nissan outboards, and now Evinrude 15hp and under.

I have a 20hp Tohatsu 4 stroke on my 16ft Naden (like a beefed up Lund WC) and it's great. Quiet, smooth, torquey, and amazing on fuel. Has no problems pushing the 16ft'er with 2 of us, dog, and a load of camping/hunting gear.

Cousin also uses the factory 50/35 Jet guiding on the Skeena & has never done anything to it other than put fuel in and run the bag off it. No issues.

They are very good engines. I'm in the process of picking out a 12ft aluminum and when I get one I'll buy the 9.8 Tohatsu for it.

[olddog1958]

Had a 18 HP Tohatsu for several years until it cut of it's lock and ran away from home one night. It was an excellent motor, can't recall a single complaint.

[Gone_Fishin_]

Just stay on top of maitenance and it'll last a life time, i found with my buddies it can get build up and start to run a little off at low idle after we've trolled for a few hours with it. Quick boot around for 15 minutes usually clears whatever out and runs good again for a while.

I own a 2004 Yamaha 9.9, best engine i've ever used. Sits all year and with a half pull starts, idles low, and i use it to troll on lakes. Rarely use my electric now unless were fly fishing still/shallow water. With buddies we have a hard time getting it to go slow enough on his 12' so we either go in reverse, or drag a drift sock/5 gallon around to slow us down.

Also with my 9.9, newer 12' heavy duty Lund i go a little bit faster than his older/lighter 12' and 9.8. If we've got both boats out we'll usually load mine with the gear until our destination to keep the same speed as eachother.

[Good2bCanadian]

I have a 3.5hp Tohatsu.
I had trouble at low idle due to old gas.

Took 10 minutes to pull carb, remove all jets and soak and clean everything with carb cleaner.
Works like a charm.

The thing I hate about this 3.5hp is there is no reverse gear. You must spin your motor right around to back up. Pain in the ass. So I tend to just use my electric motor on my small Jon boat.

[tigrr]

I love my little 8 hp Tohatsu. Had it since 1994. Pushes my little 12 footer along loaded with 2 people, 5 gallon jug of gas, cooler, fishing gear and anchor at 15 mph all day. Never burnt a full tank of gas in a summer. And I'm talking fishing every day for 2 weeks and still some left. I switch the gas every spring. Never have drained the carbs. Energiser Tohatsu it keeps going and going and going.

[Glenny]

I have never been completely sold on 4 stroke. Got my eye on a 2010 Yamaha 2 stroke now. Cant wait to see it on monday. There is a nice 04 honda in Tsawwassen for 1500 bucks that looks good too but i dunno. So many girls..oops I mean toys to choose from.

[ytlogger]

Tohatsu is one of the oldest outboard engine manufacturers. All the Mercury engines 30hp and under are built by Tohatsu. Some of the Merc/Tohatsu engines are identical other than badging. A lot of proud Mercury owners have a hard time believing that, but fact is fact. Also build Nissan outboards, and now Evinrude 15hp and under.

I have a 20hp Tohatsu 4 stroke on my 16ft Naden (like a beefed up Lund WC) and it's great. Quiet, smooth, torquey, and amazing on fuel. Has no problems pushing the 16ft'er with 2 of us, dog, and a load of camping/hunting gear.

Cousin also uses the factory 50/35 Jet guiding on the Skeena & has never done anything to it other than put fuel in and run the bag off it. No issues.

They are very good engines. I'm in the process of picking out a 12ft aluminum and when I get one I'll buy the 9.8 Tohatsu for it.

I have a 25 Tohatsu that is also great. They make the two-strokes for Yamaha too, or at least they did until a couple of years ago.

Do you know any dealer that sells Naden? I have the wide beam 16' but I'm looking for replacement transom handles.

[BromBones]

Do you know any dealer that sells Naden? I have the wide beam 16' but I'm looking for replacement transom handles.

Naden's website lists all the dealers. Mine was bought in Edmonton, brought back to BC and never used. I picked it up second hand.

I'll bet you can call them directly and get a set of transom handles shipped to you.

[.264winmag]

There is the Yamaha 4stroke kicker, then there's everything else. As for two stokes I can't believe they still make them, junk...

[Glenny]

There is the Yamaha 4stroke kicker, then there's everything else. As for two stokes I can't believe they still make them, junk...

Not a 2 stroke fan I guess. lol

[.264winmag]

How'd you guess? lol
Close to 1000 days on the wcvi I've seen too many boats to count being towed in powered by two/strokes. I've had to kicker in because of one a few times. Only seen two four strokes coming in on the kicker, both were prop issues not the outboards fault. Inboards aren't much better either. Never heard of any 2stroke getting anywhere near 4000+hrs, yammies will get that easy if you take care of em.

[Glenny]

Holy crap winmag. I don't even know if I have got 4000+ hrs left in this old carcass. Or as Jel woulda said Carc-ass. haha

[Sunzuki]

There's an old 10 Tuhhatsew in a yard sale down the street.
Comes with a fuel tank.
Twin and only one karbantewter.
Masking tape reflects $300.
Not sure if this is a decent deal or not?

[Sitkaspruce]

Just bought an 8hp Tohatsu a couple moths ago....great little engine, would not hesitate to buy another.....and I am a die hard Yammy guy and have been for 25 years, but for $800 less than the comparable yammy/merc/Honda, I could not say no.

And comes with a 5 year warranty.

Cheers

SS

[.264winmag]

Under normal use I'm sure they'll be fine. My 9.9 yammy has 15 years of wcvi guiding on it. Smokes a bit but keeps ticking. Wish it had an hr meter lmao

[longstonec]

Used 5hp and 8hp Nissans which where tougher then anything. I think they are related to Tohatsu?
Sunk running a few times each and came back strong. Otherwise Yamaha.

[longstonec]

How'd you guess? lol
Close to 1000 days on the wcvi I've seen too many boats to count being towed in powered by two/strokes. I've had to kicker in because of one a few times. Only seen two four strokes coming in on the kicker, both were prop issues not the outboards fault. Inboards aren't much better either. Never heard of any 2stroke getting anywhere near 4000+hrs, yammies will get that easy if you take care of em.

Fleet of 50HP 4stroke Yammies I look after every summer is way over 5000 each. They rattle about because the mount bushings are long thrapped but run great.

[Sofa King]

There is the Yamaha 4stroke kicker, then there's everything else. As for two stokes I can't believe they still make them, junk...

c'mon now, they are good for ridding the air of mosquitos with their cloud.

[BromBones]

There is the Yamaha 4stroke kicker, then there's everything else. As for two stokes I can't believe they still make them, junk...

For the old carb 2 strokes, I agree. Smoky rattlers. Never liked them much.

The direct injected 2 strokes are a different animal though. The Tohatsu TLDI are very good, and the Evinrudes seem to blow the doors off most 4 strokes and burn the same or less fuel. Not sure how reliable the E-Tec is though.

[.264winmag]

Direct injection IS the problem with them. I'd take an older carbed or efi two stroke over a DI deuce. Ya they burned way more fuel but were reliable. Optimax, HPDI and etecs have a ton of issues. Yes they're great on fuel and good power/weight ratio but torque of a 4stroke trumps. One revolution a little too lean on the direct oil injector and pop, compressor issues. Guys that run them in commercial application lease them for a reason...

[wiggy]

Tohatsu invented the first marine diesel motors. Pretty sure it wast around 1947
They are the same company as Nissan
they also invented and have patents on the first cold fog fuel injection marine motors.
They are the best
We've been waiting years to buy a 225 to 300 that they've been testing for over 5 years but they have not produced them for sale yet. Currently we run a 225 etec and have over 600 hours on it. Bullet proof. You cannot compare these new motors to anything that "we used to run". That being said the new etecs this year look awesome and I'm sure we will being running one soon. 5 years no maintenance no oil changes. Like WOW.
15 to 20 percent more than torque at the prop not the shaft and much better fuel economy.
Our old outboards are either lawn ornaments or anchors.

[.264winmag]

600 hrs hardly warrants 'bulletproof' status? That's only a couple seasons fishing for a living...

[BromBones]

Direct injection IS the problem with them. I'd take an older carbed or efi two stroke over a DI deuce. Ya they burned way more fuel but were reliable. Optimax, HPDI and etecs have a ton of issues. Yes they're great on fuel and good power/weight ratio but torque of a 4stroke trumps. One revolution a little too lean on the direct oil injector and pop, compressor issues. Guys that run them in commercial application lease them for a reason...

Definitely are finicky (E-Tec). Sounds like you've seen a few problems from commercial use. Guys who run them sure like them though.

The Tohatsu 2 stroke is low pressure injection though and seems to be pretty tolerant and reliable. Guides I know running the jet models beat the snot out of them and are not having any issues.

[Sofa King]

my Nissan 40hp is a 2-stroke and it's been flawless.
and it is awesome on fuel.