Tohatsu 20hp 4 Stroke

Jwill · 01 January 2025, 09:57

Hello all

I am new to the Forum and have a question

I have two boats and I currently use a 20hp 4 stroke Mercury Carb model outboard. I think it is from around 2007 and I think weighs in at 53kg. This is very heavy to move from boat to boat although I like the engine. I have half decided to buy a new 20 hp Tohatsu 4 stroke which i think weighs in at 43 kg. So if I am correct a full 10kg lighter.

Have any of you small boaters experience of lifting and moving this 20hp Tohatsu.

Thanks

Jake

Steve509926 · 01 January 2025, 22:39

Hi Jake and welcome to the forum.

I have a 20hp efi Merc, which is the same as the Tohatsu with a few additions making it a few kg heavier.

I'm 64, 88kg, relatively fit and can manage to lift and carry it approx 4 metres before I have to rest it on its skeg. I have a system moving it from the garage to the truck and in & out of the back of the truck.

Jwill · 02 January 2025, 06:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve509926

Hi Jake and welcome to the forum.

I have a 20hp efi Merc, which is the same as the Tohatsu with a few additions making it a few kg heavier.

I'm 64, 88kg, relatively fit and can manage to lift and carry it approx 4 metres before I have to rest it on its skeg. I have a system moving it from the garage to the truck and in & out of the back of the truck.

Hello Steve

Thanks for the info. I think the Mercury is heavier than the Tohatsu. Do you know the weight of yours ?

chipko · 02 January 2025, 07:33

The Merc/Mariner versions are considerably heavier and plated at 47.5kg. The extra weight is mostly due to the fancy tiller arrangement.
Stick with the Tohatsu.

Bodie The Boat Guy · 02 January 2025, 09:24

Hi Jake. We have sold a few of the 20's on our RIBs and one to the Fire and Rescue. They are great engines. It is still a weight to be lifting. It is deemed to be a 2 person lift at that weight. Have you looked at having rugged launch wheels added to your RIB/SIB so that you can put the engine on by your vehicle and then wheel the boat to the water with your engine already on?

Orwell boy · 03 January 2025, 20:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bodie The Boat Guy

Hi Jake. We have sold a few of the 20's on our RIBs and one to the Fire and Rescue. They are great engines. It is still a weight to be lifting. It is deemed to be a 2 person lift at that weight. Have you looked at having rugged launch wheels added to your RIB/SIB so that you can put the engine on by your vehicle and then wheel the boat to the water with your engine already on?

Yes those launch wheels are a very good idea ,but not sure which ones are best ?

Jwill · 04 January 2025, 07:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by Orwell boy

Yes those launch wheels are a very good idea ,but not sure which ones are best ?

I think blow up ones can give issues. No idea if any one makes good quality solid ones for this type of use.

My 2 boats are on trailers however so all I am after is a light outboard to transfer between the two boats which are generally about 10 m apart

Bodie The Boat Guy · 04 January 2025, 12:42

We have a set ready to be fitted to Notts F&R RIB. We got them from Thargo.com.
These are retractable and removable and can take upto 120kg max load. Cost £170

Steve509926 · 04 January 2025, 13:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jwill

I think blow up ones can give issues. No idea if any one makes good quality solid ones for this type of use.

My 2 boats are on trailers however so all I am after is a light outboard to transfer between the two boats which are generally about 10 m apart

Hi Jake, getting the thread back to your outboard, if you only move it from boat to boat would a collapsible sack truck not do the trick?

Jwill · 05 January 2025, 05:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve509926

Hi Jake, getting the thread back to your outboard, if you only move it from boat to boat would a collapsible sack truck not do the trick?

I have a sack barrow. It is lifting it on and off the transom where I need less weight

chipko · 05 January 2025, 13:00

If you’re after a trolley to assist getting motor on/off transom then might be worth looking at something like our AV plate motor dolly. Inspired by Oldman’s posts of this parish and Russian YouTube vids we knocked up one in timber.

https://www.rib.net/forum/f36/homema...ley-90429.html

If the right height it can also easily assist in mounting/removing motor off transom without any lifting, particularly if boat is on a launch trailer or transom wheels by just lifting bow and reversing up to motor.

Oldman2 · 05 January 2025, 16:50

Just in case here is the link to my work https://mikefettles.blogspot.com/2021/05/

Jwill · Yesterday, 06:07

Many thanks for the various information. The point is however I want the lighter Tohatsu 20 hp to avoid all those contraptions and faffing about. I believe you must make boating as faff free and easy as possible. If not it can result in you tending not to go out boating

Fenlander · Yesterday, 08:57

>>> I am after is a light outboard to transfer between the two boats which are generally about 10 m apart

Would it not be simplest to move the boats next to each other for a minimal transfer distance?

chipko · Yesterday, 09:06

Well, no one on here can advise if you are able to manhandle a 40 odd kilo motor without the assistance of any contraptions. Only you can decide that. Ten years ago I had no issues lumping our then Suzuki 20 around, today at 69 I need to be more careful.

What I can advise is that the Tohatsu 20 is currently the lightest four stroke motor on the market at 43kg followed closely by the Suzuki at 44kg, with the Merc/Mariner 20’s a lardy 47.5kg.

If 43kg is unmanageable then the next best option would be the 15hp two stroke offerings from Yamaha/Mercury which tip the scales at around 36/37 kilos.

Steve509926 · Yesterday, 09:36

I'm assuming (correct me if I'm wrong) that the two boats you have are similar if they are powered by the same outboard?
Would it not be easier to consolidate to just one boat?
or
If finances allow, just buy the Tohatsu and have an outboard on both.