YAMAHA 15 HP F15LMHA OUTBOARD MOTOR

Description

We have the Yamaha F15LMHA for sale, new in its crate and ready to ship worldwide. It is Yamaha’s 15 horsepower four-stroke on a 20 inch long shaft, with a 362 cc twin cylinder engine, tiller steering, pull start and a forward, neutral and reverse gearbox. It weighs about 115 pounds and runs from a separate portable fuel tank.

The long shaft 15 suits a wide range of boats: aluminium fishing boats and skiffs with a 20 inch transom, mid-sized sailboats that need a stronger auxiliary than a 9.9, utility boats and taller tenders. Because it is pull start with manual tilt, it is about as simple as a 15 HP outboard can be. No battery, no wiring, no hydraulics, just a strong, smooth twin with the largest displacement in its class. If you need 15 HP on a 20 inch transom and want to keep things straightforward, the Yamaha F15LMHA for sale is the motor for you. Here is everything you need to know.

Yamaha F15LMHA Specifications

These are Yamaha’s published numbers for the F15, available on Yamaha’s 25, 20 and 15 HP portables page. The Yamaha F15LMHA for sale is the long shaft, manual start, tiller model.

Reading the Model Code

F is four-stroke. 15 is horsepower. L is the 20 inch long shaft. M is manual start. H is tiller handle. A is the generation. The short shaft equivalent is the Yamaha F15SMHA. On the same 20 inch shaft, the Yamaha F15LEHA adds electric start and the Yamaha F15LPHA adds electric start plus power tilt.

Why the Long Shaft

A 15 inch motor on a 20 inch transom leaves the prop too close to the surface. It draws air, the engine races, the boat loses grip in turns and in waves, and the motor works harder for less. A 20 inch motor on a 20 inch transom puts the prop where it belongs. Measure from the top of your transom, where the clamps sit, straight down to the bottom of the hull. Around 20 inches means you need the Yamaha F15LMHA for sale or another long shaft model. On sailboat brackets, check the depth with the bracket lowered and allow for the stern lifting in waves.

Boats That Suit It

Aluminium fishing boats and skiffs

Many 12 to 16 foot aluminium boats and skiffs have 20 inch transoms and are rated for 15 to 25 HP. On these boats, the Yamaha F15LMHA for sale gives quick runs to the fishing grounds, smooth trolling once there and very low running costs. It is a classic setup for lakes, rivers and sheltered coastal water.

Mid-sized sailboats

Sailboats in the mid twenty-foot range, especially lighter ones, often use a 15 HP auxiliary when a 9.9 feels underpowered in wind and waves. The long shaft keeps the prop deep on a transom bracket, and the twin gives plenty of push. For very heavy sailboats, a high thrust motor may suit better.

Utility and work boats

Utility skiffs, marina boats and small work boats with 20 inch transoms benefit from a simple, robust motor that anyone can start with a pull.

Taller tenders

Some rigid tenders and larger RIBs have 20 inch transoms. The long shaft 15 suits them well.

Why a 15 Rather Than a 9.9?

The Yamaha 15 uses a 362 cc twin against the 9.9’s 212 cc twin. That bigger engine gives much more push with heavier loads and in rough water, and it cruises at a lower throttle setting for the same speed, which means less noise and less strain. The cost is about 25 pounds of extra weight. If your boat is rated for 15 HP, local rules allow it and the motor will mostly stay on the boat, the Yamaha F15LMHA for sale is usually the better choice. If you lift the motor often or rules limit you to under 10 HP, stick with a 9.9 such as the Yamaha F9.9LMHB.

Why Pull Start

Pull start keeps the Yamaha F15LMHA for sale light, simple and inexpensive. There is no battery to buy, charge, store over winter or eventually replace, and no wiring to corrode. The 362 cc twin pulls over smoothly, and with a little choke it starts reliably from cold in one or two pulls. If you start and stop often or find pull cords difficult, the electric start F15LEHA is the alternative, but for many owners, pull start is exactly right.

How It Runs

Once started, the twin runs smoothly with little vibration and no smoke. Open the throttle and a suitable boat climbs onto the plane cleanly. Shift at idle with the lever; reverse is strong for docking and backing off a beach. The tiller has adjustable steering and throttle friction, so you can set it to hold a straight course and steady speed. Yamaha designed the F15 so oil and fuel components are easy to reach, which makes routine checks quick.

Fuel

The Yamaha F15LMHA for sale runs from a separate portable tank with a primer bulb hose. A 12 or 24 litre tank gives good range and keeps the weight low in the boat. Open the vent, squeeze the bulb until firm and start. Use fresh unleaded, no more than 10 percent ethanol, and add stabiliser if the boat will sit.

Fitting the Yamaha F15LMHA for Sale

Check your boat’s capacity plate for horsepower and engine weight. At about 115 pounds, the motor is a two-person lift. Clamp it in the centre of the transom with the anti-cavitation plate at or just below the bottom of the hull, tighten the clamps firmly and through-bolt it if it will stay on the boat. Fit a safety line. Set the trim rod so the leg is vertical when you are running with your normal load. If the bow rides high, move the rod in a hole; if the bow ploughs, move it out. Connect the fuel, check the oil, start in neutral and confirm the cooling water stream before shifting into gear.

On a sailboat bracket, choose a bracket rated well above 115 pounds and 15 HP, through-bolted with a backing plate, with enough travel to get the prop deep when motoring and clear of the water when sailing.

Break-In

Every new Yamaha needs a gentle break-in. For the Yamaha F15LMHA for sale, run at varied low and medium throttle for the first hours, add short bursts higher later, avoid long full-throttle runs and check the oil before each trip. Change the oil at the end of the break-in. Yamaha’s owner’s manual has the details, and copies are available on Yamaha’s owner’s manual page.

Maintenance

After salt water use, flush with fresh water and rinse the outside. Each season, change the engine oil and gear oil, check the plugs, grease the clamp screws, swivel and tilt points, check the propeller and anode, and inspect the fuel filter and hose. Every few seasons, replace the water pump impeller. Before winter, run the carburettor dry or stabilise the fuel, change the oil, flush and store the motor upright somewhere dry. In cold places, drain all water before frost.

With no battery, wiring or power tilt, the Yamaha F15LMHA for sale is one of the easiest 15 HP outboards to look after.

Troubleshooting

If the Yamaha F15LMHA for sale will not start, check the tank vent, hose connections, primer bulb, fuel freshness and kill cord clip. If it is flooded, push the choke in, open the throttle a little and pull a few times. If it starts then dies, open the tank vent. If the cooling stream is weak, clear the tell-tale outlet with a thin wire, then check the intake and impeller. If the motor races without pushing the boat, check the prop for damage and the mounting height.

A Day on an Aluminium Fishing Boat

You launch at the ramp, connect the tank, squeeze the bulb, pull the choke and give the cord a pull. The Yamaha F15LMHA for sale starts on the second pull. You run up the lake on the plane, the 20 inch leg keeping the prop biting even in the chop off the point. At the weed bed, you throttle back to trolling speed, set the friction so the grip holds, and work the edge. When you snag, a quick shift into reverse frees the lure. At the end of the day, you run back, pull the boat out and the motor goes back on its stand after a quick rinse. No battery to charge, nothing complicated.

A Day on a Sailboat

On a mid-sized sailboat, you lower the motor on its bracket, connect the tank and pull. It starts. You back out of the berth using reverse and steer with the boat’s rudder. In the channel, the 15 pushes the boat steadily against the tide. Outside, you hoist sail, shut down, close the vent and lift the motor clear of the water. Coming home into wind, you lower it, start it while the sails are still up and motor in with plenty in reserve. The long shaft keeps the prop in the water as the bow climbs each wave.

Common Mistakes

Check the oil before the first start, because some motors ship with little or none. Use plain unleaded, never two-stroke mix. Shift only at idle. Run the carburettor dry before storage. Flush after salt water. Fit a safety line. And on a sailboat, close the tank vent before the boat heels so fuel cannot leak.

Accessories

A portable fuel tank with hose and primer bulb if one is not included, a breathable cover, a flushing attachment, a spare propeller for rocky water and a cable lock for busy ramps are the add-ons most owners buy. None are needed to run the Yamaha F15LMHA for sale, but they make ownership easier.

Choosing a Propeller

The standard prop suits most boats. If your boat is heavy or always loaded, a lower pitch helps the engine reach its 5,000 to 6,000 rpm full throttle range and improves acceleration. If the engine hits the top of that range too easily, a higher pitch may add speed. Yamaha’s online prop selector is a good place to start, and we can help too.

Hot and Cold Climates

In hot places, keep fuel fresh with stabiliser and tilt the motor out of the water when moored. In cold places, use a little more choke on cold mornings, drain all water before frost and change the gear oil before storage.

What Comes in the Crate

The motor arrives assembled with the propeller fitted, the owner’s manual and the factory paperwork. Ask us whether a fuel tank is included with your shipment. Check the oil tag and level before the first start.

Warranty Notes

Yamaha’s factory warranty terms vary by country and type of use. Ask your local Yamaha dealer what they honour, and keep your invoice and serial number safe.

A Season of Ownership

In spring, the owner of a Yamaha F15LMHA for sale takes it off its stand, checks the oil, connects a tank of fresh fuel and pulls. If it was stored properly, it starts within a couple of pulls. It goes onto the boat, the clamps are tightened and the safety line goes on. Through the summer it runs to fishing spots, pushes a sailboat out of the harbour or carries gear around a marina. After salt water trips, a freshwater flush takes five minutes. In autumn, the oil and gear oil get changed, the carburettor is run dry and the motor goes back on its stand. Every few seasons, the impeller is replaced. With no battery or power tilt, there is very little else to think about.

Lifting, Carrying and Trailering

At about 115 pounds, the Yamaha F15LMHA for sale is a two-person lift. One person takes the carry handle, the other supports the lower leg, and the leg stays pointing down so oil stays in the sump. Disconnect the fuel and close the vent first. If you trailer the boat with the motor on, support the leg with a transom saver bar so the tilt mechanism is not taking every bump on the road. At home, a sturdy motor stand makes storage, flushing and oil changes much easier.

Salt Water Care

Yamaha builds its portables with corrosion resistant alloys, protective paint and a sacrificial anode, so the Yamaha F15LMHA for sale handles salt water well. Your part is to flush after every salt water trip, rinse the outside, check the anode each season, replace it when it is noticeably worn and give the powerhead a light spray of corrosion protection now and then. With those habits, the motor will handle years of coastal use.

Teaching New Drivers

Because it is simple, the Yamaha F15LMHA for sale is easy to teach. Set a few rules for anyone who runs the boat: start in neutral with the kill cord clipped on, check for the cooling water stream, idle down before shifting, look behind before reversing and tilt up before reaching the shallows. Once those habits stick, anyone can take the boat out safely.

Who We Are

We are an online outboard dealer shipping new motors worldwide. We keep the Yamaha F15LMHA for sale in regular stock, and questions are answered by people who know outboards. Our blog has more advice on buying and caring for a motor.

Long Shaft 15 or Long Shaft 20?

If your boat is rated for 20 HP or more, you might also be looking at Yamaha’s F20. The F20 uses the larger 432 cc engine with battery-less fuel injection, so it starts easily without a battery and responds very cleanly, but it is heavier and costs more. The Yamaha F15LMHA for sale uses a carburetted 362 cc engine that is simpler and lighter. For a light aluminium boat or a sailboat that does not need the last bit of speed, the 15 is plenty. For a heavier boat, or if you want fuel injection, look at the 20. Either way, measure your transom first and confirm the rating on your boat’s capacity plate.

Getting the Best Fuel Economy

A few simple habits help the Yamaha F15LMHA for sale go further on a tank. Trim the boat so it runs level, with weight spread sensibly. Keep the hull and prop clean. Cruise a little below full throttle; the last few hundred rpm add noise and fuel use but not much speed. Use the right propeller for your load. And keep the motor serviced, because a fresh plug and clean fuel system make a noticeable difference.

Running Costs

The Yamaha F15LMHA for sale is economical: modest fuel at cruise, very little when trolling, about a litre of oil or less per change and inexpensive wear parts. No battery means one less running cost.

Why Yamaha

Yamaha’s dealers and parts reach almost every country with boats. The F15 is a proven twin with the largest displacement in its class. Yamaha outboards hold their value well. That is why we stock the Yamaha F15LMHA for sale.

15 HP Versions Compared

Browse the 15 HP Yamaha section or the full Yamaha outboard range. For more power with fuel injection, see the Yamaha F20LWHB.

Ordering

Add the Yamaha F15LMHA for sale to your cart and check out, or contact us first. We confirm stock and delivery, pack the motor with extra protection and send tracking once it ships worldwide. International buyers pay their own import duty and taxes; we provide the paperwork customs needs. See our refund and return policy, terms and conditions, reviews and about us page.

FAQ: Yamaha F15LMHA for Sale

Is the Yamaha F15LMHA for sale new?

Yes, new and crated.

What shaft length is the Yamaha F15LMHA?

20 inches.

Is the Yamaha F15LMHA for sale pull start?

Yes. No battery needed.

How heavy is the Yamaha F15LMHA for sale?

About 115 pounds.

Does the Yamaha F15LMHA for sale have reverse?

Yes.

Will it suit my sailboat?

For many mid-sized sailboats, yes. Check the bracket rating and prop depth.

Is the prop included?

Yes.

Is the Yamaha F15LMHA for sale good in salt water?

Yes, with a freshwater flush after use.

Final Word

Before you order, take a minute to measure your transom, check the capacity plate and think about how the motor will be used. If your transom is about 20 inches, your boat is rated for 15 HP or more, and you value simplicity over push-button convenience, the Yamaha F15LMHA for sale is the right choice. If you are unsure, send us a photo of the transom and the plate and we will confirm the correct model before it ships.

If you need 15 HP on a 20 inch transom and want the simplest, most dependable version, the Yamaha F15LMHA for sale is the one. It is strong, smooth, cheap to run and supported by Yamaha dealers almost everywhere. Add it to your cart, or ask us anything first. Everything else we stock is in the shop.