New outboard electric start? Electronic ignition?

[GinoDelG]

My wife and I cruise full time. We currently have a Tohatsu 9.8 that has served us well, but not without occasional service issues that I’ve learned to fix myself. We’re starting to think about a new 20 hp outboard for our dink. We’re not there yet, but during the lifetime of this engine we’ll most likely be in our 70s. I have two questions: should I get an electric start, and should I get electronic ignition? I’d especially like to hear from people who own engines with these features about their reliability and ease of self service.

[rslifkin]

All modern outboards have electronic ignition (and have for a while). If you're talking about fuel injection, it's generally much less fussy than small outboard carbs.

Electric start is pretty much a matter of preference. If you can deal with the extra weight, etc. of having a battery in the dinghy, then by all means, go for the electric start.

[ABJ87]

I assume you mean fuel injection? Outboards have had electronic ignition for decades.

No real downside to electric start other than weight and a little extra time to rig.

[Nicholson58]

I have an older four stroke with automatic compression release. Pull the hand cord smartly an it’s easy to spin. If you can’t find this then for 20 hp I’d go for electric start.

Get a dinghy with an enclosed, lockable bow locker. Ours is AB 10.5 feet. They call it 11.

[Jammer]

I have a 2021 9.9 Honda on my 14' aluminum "dinghy" and previously had a Yamaha of similar size on my 26' sailboat. Both are/were electric start, electronic ignition engines. I also had a Nissan 9.9 two stroke electric start, that came with a boat I bought, but never used much.

My wife is unable to pull-start even small engines due to fibromyalgia.

I found the electric start, ignition, and charging systems on these motors to be trouble free. As a rule, the electronic ignition module can be disabled making the engine revert to simple magneto ignition. And all of them can be pull started, though with Yamaha you have to take off the cover and wind a rope around the flywheel.

Service wise, the parts are expensive, and you have to pull the flywheel to get to the alternator coils for the charging system.

The extra weight of the starter, and the requirement to have a heavy battery aboard, are the main drawbacks. And upfront cost.


I have installed SB50 powerpole connectors on all my electric-start outboards, which are reliable and make it much simpler to remove the motor from the boat. I also put a MRBF fuse on the positive battery post.

[sailingunity]

I upgraded from a 6HP Tohatsu pull start to a 20HP electric start because my wife couldn't start the 6HP. Night and day difference, and pretty much trouble free. I wouldn't hesitate to get the electric start, for the sake of your wife's independence. The only issue I've had is sometimes on hot days it won't start on the first try, I think it is a problem with the check valve in the fuel line though, as the primer bulb never seems to get hard.

[John_Trusty]

I have looked at replacing my 15 HP Tohatsu without electric start, and would love to have electric start for the reasons you outlined, plus weight of swinging it into the dinghy. A couple points from my research on comparing the small outboards on the Tohatsu site: https://www.tohatsu.com/marine/na/outboards/all.html (they do not provide a simple comparison tool).
1. There are two ranges of Tohatsu with the same engines, weights, features, displacement, with the only difference is the restrictor plate that changes the horsepower - 6 to 9.8HP and 9.9 to 20 HP, with slightly different pricing. If buying, I suggest getting the top of each range as there is no difference in weight.
2. For batteries, I have seen many people put car-sized FLA batteries into their dinghy, when the motor is much smaller. For a Tohatsu 15 hp, they recommend 350 cold-cranking-hours, which is a fairly small battery, about the size of a motorcycle. Under 16 lbs, 8 x 3 x 6 inches, for an AGM battery.

[Don C L]

I never had an electric start, but I found a Tohatsu 9.8 that was a good price and it has the electric start. Now, it starts fine with the pull cord, but I say yes to the electric start For a 20 hp I would think the answer is even easier.