We have had our engine stolen and are trying to work out what to replace it with. The original Tohatsu 5hp saildrive was fine and that would be what I would go for but it is not made any more. The newer engines, 4,5 and 6hp, have a handle at the front that projects further than the original. Does any one know if it will fit, or even if any other engine works well?
Brian and Alison Fisher Thrift no44.

Hi Brian and Alison, I have a Tohatsu 8 (2 cylinder 2 stroke) which is fine but you cannot buy it anymore. The only point in mentioning it is that I would have though a 4.5hp a little on the small side. Most people seem to have single cylinder 4 stroke Mariners or equivalent of 5 to 6 hp. I did briefly have a Honda 8hp 2 cylinder 4 stroke, which fitted fine, however my wife couldn't start it ( too high a compression)and it was rather heavy, so I got the Tohatsu before the ban came in on 2 strokes.

Jim Hamilton , Sandy Lady.

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Thanks for your reply. We sail on the Broads and the 5hp has been fine, but you are right , we wouldn't want less. It is useful to know that your bigger engine fits in the well.

I have a 6hp Tohatsu short shaft sail drive bought 6 years ago which fits and works fine.

Andy Sleeman, Galatea

I bought a new engine in May 2015.

When I bought my boat it came with a 9.8 Tohatsu 2 stroke. Obviously this gave plenty of power but being a long shaft was too big to hinge in the well and being on a swinging mooring I got fed up of scraping the barnacles from round the propeller, so I sold it and began research in to short shaft outboards.

I settled on a Tohatsu MFS6 Sail Pro because with that engine you get the complete package ready to go,(fuel tank and lines as well as the charging system), but since the latest range was introduced (around 2011) it is only listed on the Tohatsu site as a long shaft option.

I spoke to Tohatsu UK, originally with a view as to finding the cost of the "extra bits" over and above one of their standard 6hp short shaft engines.

They were incredibly helpful and said if I would not mind buying it from their most local dealer (Ski Marine in Bournemouth), they would swap the long shaft leg off the standard outboard for a short shaft one before they despatched it.

Ski Marine were also very good as well List price was circa £ 1,150 iirc but they had a special offer price of £ 975, so overall I am really pleased with the new engine.

Many thanks, very helpful information. Brian.

Hi Brian - we replaced the engine on our 235 last year with a Tohatsu 6hp Sailpro - as mentioned above, as standard it's only available with a long shaft. I found the long shaft fine - the prop is lower in the water which helps. I also made a slightly taller mounting board, which gives me room to get my fingers under the handle to lift the engine, and still leaves the prop lower than the old short shaft.

Doug O'Malley
P235/55

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