Tiller Outboard for Sale: 150+ Easy Steering Motors From $390, Free Shipping

Need a tiller outboard for sale? We have more than 150 tiller motors listed, from 2.5 HP portables at $390 up to 60 HP jet tillers, in Mercury, Yamaha, Suzuki, Honda, Tohatsu, Nissan and Evinrude. Every motor is checked before it ships, free shipping is included, and we deliver worldwide.

A tiller motor is the simplest way to power a small boat. No console, no cables, no steering system to rig. You clamp or bolt it on, connect fuel, and steer with the handle. We’re an outboard dealer in Fresno, California, and tillers are the motors we sell most. This page covers every size of tiller outboard for sale we carry, the specs, how to choose one, and how to buy it from us.

Tiller Outboard for Sale: 2.5 to 6 HP

These are the small portables for dinghies, tenders, canoes and small sailboats. Most have a built-in fuel tank and manual start, and most of the smallest ones turn all the way round instead of having a reverse gear.

Want propane instead of gasoline? The Mercury 5MH-LPG runs on a standard propane bottle, which some lakes and sailors prefer. More small motors are on the 2.5 HP Yamaha and Nissan outboards pages.

Tiller Outboard for Sale: 8 to 9.9 HP

This is the busiest size we sell. A 9.9 HP tiller pushes most jon boats and small aluminum boats, and it’s the classic kicker motor for trolling on bigger boats.

See all of them on the 9.9 HP Mercury, 9.9 HP Yamaha, 9.9 HP Suzuki and 9.9 HP Honda pages. We also have a full Tohatsu 9.9 HP guide.

Tiller Outboard for Sale: 15 to 30 HP

Step up to this range when you have a 14 to 16 ft aluminum boat, a heavier jon boat or a small skiff and want it on plane with two or three people aboard.

For more, see the 15 HP Yamaha, 20 HP Mercury and 25 HP Yamaha pages, or our Yamaha 20 HP guide.

Tiller Outboard for Sale: 40 HP and Up

Big tillers are popular on river boats, work skiffs and larger aluminum fishing boats where the owner wants to steer from the back and keep the floor clear. At this size you’ll usually want electric start and power trim.

We also stock tiller Evinrude E-TEC motors, which are light and strong for their size. See the Evinrude 25 HP and Evinrude 15 HP guides.

Why Choose a Tiller Outboard for Sale Over a Remote Motor

A remote motor needs a console, a control box, throttle and shift cables, a steering system and usually gauges. That’s a lot of money and a lot of rigging before you even touch the water. A tiller outboard for sale skips all of it.

• Lower cost. No controls, cables or steering to buy.
• Simple to fit. Small ones clamp on. Bigger ones bolt through the transom and you’re done.
• More room in the boat. No console in the way, which fishermen love.
• Precise at low speed. Steering from the motor is very direct, great for trolling and working along a bank.
• Easy to move between boats. Small tillers can go from the tender to the jon boat to a friend’s canoe.

The downsides are that you sit at the back, which is noisier and wetter in chop, and on bigger, faster boats a tiller can be tiring to hold. Past about 60 HP most people go remote. Some performance motors, like the Yamaha V MAX SHO 90 and 115, can still be rigged with a tiller. Our Yamaha V MAX SHO guide covers those.

Tiller Outboard for Sale: Specifications

These are standard factory figures for some of the most popular tiller motors we sell. Numbers vary a little with shaft length, start type and model year, and each product page has the details for that exact motor.

Battery-free EFI, which Suzuki and Mercury use on many small motors, means the fuel injection runs without a battery. You get easy starting and smooth running from a pull-start motor with no battery to carry.

How to Read a Tiller Model Code

Every brand marks a tiller with an H somewhere in the model code. Once you spot that, it’s easy to tell a tiller outboard for sale from a remote one.

How to Pick the Right Tiller Outboard for Sale

Horsepower

Check the capacity plate on your boat and stay at or below the max HP. As a rough guide: 2.5 to 3.5 HP for inflatables and small tenders, 4 to 6 HP for canoes, larger tenders and small sailboats, 9.9 to 15 HP for 12 to 14 ft jon boats, and 20 to 30 HP for 14 to 16 ft aluminum boats. The US Coast Guard boating site explains capacity plates clearly.

Shaft length

Measure your transom from the top edge down to the bottom of the hull. About 15 inches takes a short shaft (S), about 20 inches a long shaft (L), and about 25 inches an extra long shaft (X). Sailboats and some pontoons often need a long or extra long shaft. This is the most important measurement, so don’t guess.

Manual or electric start

Up to about 15 HP, manual start is easy and saves weight. From 20 HP up, electric start is a lot nicer, especially if more than one person runs the boat. Electric start needs a battery, which also lets you run lights or a fish finder.

Tilt

Manual tilt is fine on small motors. Once you get to 9.9 HP kickers that sit high on a big transom, or anything 20 HP and up, power tilt saves your back. Look for T or PT in the code.

Weight

If you’ll carry the motor, weight comes first. Most people can manage a 2.5 to 6 HP motor alone. A 9.9 HP is about the limit for one person over any distance. Above that, plan to leave the motor on the boat.

Tiller Handle Features Worth Having

Not every tiller handle is the same, and the handle is the part you hold all day. When you compare a tiller outboard for sale, look at these. A throttle friction knob lets you set the throttle and take your hand off for a moment. A shift lever on the handle, rather than on the side of the motor, means you don’t have to reach back. Mercury’s multi-function tiller handle puts shift, throttle and stop on one handle. Power tilt switches on the handle are a big help on 20 HP and up. Some motors have a handle that adjusts up and down, which helps if you sit low in the boat. On a tiller outboard for sale used for long days of trolling, a comfortable handle with a good friction setting makes a real difference. Ask us about the handle on any tiller outboard for sale and we’ll tell you what it has. It’s one of those small details that decides whether you enjoy a tiller outboard for sale or put up with it.

Special Tiller Motors

Kickers

A kicker is a small tiller outboard for sale mounted next to the main motor on a bigger boat, used for slow trolling and as a backup. A 9.9 HP with a 20 or 25 inch shaft, electric start and power tilt is the classic choice. The Mercury ProKicker and the Suzuki DF9.9BTHL5 are both built for it. Many owners link the kicker to the main motor’s steering with a tie bar.

High thrust and Command Thrust

Yamaha’s T9.9 high thrust and Mercury’s Command Thrust motors use a bigger gearcase and a larger, lower pitch prop. They push heavy boats, sailboats and pontoons better than a standard motor of the same horsepower.

Jet tillers

Jet tillers, like the Yamaha F40JEHA and the F60 jet tiller, use a pump instead of a prop, so nothing hangs below the hull to hit rocks. They’re made for shallow rivers. They lose some power compared with the prop version of the same motor, so plan on that.

Propane

Mercury makes small tillers that run on propane. No gasoline to spill or go stale, and a propane bottle is easy to find in a lot of places.

Safety With a Tiller Outboard

On a tiller boat, you’re the one holding the steering. If you fall out or get thrown off balance, the boat keeps going. That’s why every tiller motor comes with an engine cut-off switch and lanyard. Clip it to your life jacket or wrist every time.

In the US, federal law requires the operator of most boats under 26 ft to use the engine cut-off switch while running on plane or above displacement speed. Other countries have similar rules. The US Coast Guard boating site explains it. Beyond that, keep the throttle friction set so the motor doesn’t speed up on its own, and don’t stand up to steer at speed.

Mounting a Tiller Outboard

Small tillers clamp onto the transom with the screw clamps. Tighten them firmly and check them often, because vibration loosens them. Fit a safety rope or chain from the motor to the boat in case it comes off. On anything over about 15 HP, bolt the motor through the transom as well.

Set the height so the anti-cavitation plate sits level with the bottom of the hull or a little above it. Then check the trim pin. With the boat running, the hull should run level. If the bow digs in, move the pin out a hole. If the bow rides high and bounces, move it in.

Looking After Your Tiller Motor

• Change the engine oil once a season and the gearcase oil once a year.
• Replace the water pump impeller every two to three seasons.
• Use fresh fuel with stabilizer, and drain the carburetor before storage on carbureted models.
• Flush with fresh water after every trip in salt water.
• Grease the swivel bracket and tiller pivot now and then.
• Check the clamp screws and the kill switch lanyard each trip.

The BoatUS site has good, plain articles on outboard care if you want more detail.

What We Check Before Shipping

Every tiller outboard for sale on our site goes through the same check before it leaves us.

1. Model plate and serial number checked against the listing.
2. Test run in a tank, through the rev range, forward and reverse.
3. Water pump and tell-tale stream checked.
4. Gearcase oil checked for water or metal.
5. Tiller handle, throttle friction, shift and kill switch checked.
6. Tilt, trim and starting checked on models that have them.
7. Packed carefully so it arrives in one piece.

If you want photos of the exact motor first, ask and we’ll send them.

Free Shipping Worldwide

Free shipping is included with every outboard motor we sell, including every tiller outboard for sale on this page. Small tillers usually go by courier. Bigger ones go on a pallet by freight truck inside North America, and by air or sea overseas. Import duties and local taxes are set by your own country and paid on arrival, so check with your customs office if you’re unsure. Our free shipping guide explains exactly how it works.

How to Order a Tiller Outboard for Sale

1. Pick a motor from the tables above or browse the shop.
2. Send us your boat type, length, transom height and max HP if you want help choosing.
3. We confirm the motor and how it will be delivered.
4. You order, we pack and ship, and we send tracking.

Call or WhatsApp +1 209 690 5983, or use the contact page. Please read our refund and return policy before ordering, and see what other buyers say on the reviews page.

Tiller Outboard for Sale by Boat Type

Sometimes it’s easier to start with the boat. Here’s what our customers usually run on each type.

Inflatables and tenders

A 2.5 HP is enough for most inflatables with one or two people. Rigid inflatables and bigger tenders do better with 4 to 6 HP. Keep the weight down, because you’ll be lifting the motor on and off the yacht or the dock. A small tiller outboard for sale with an internal tank keeps things simple.

Canoes and kayaks with a motor mount

Go light. A 2 to 3.5 HP is plenty. A side mount bracket is common on square-stern canoes. Check the canoe’s own rating before you pick a motor.

Jon boats

A 12 ft jon boat runs well on 6 to 9.9 HP. A 14 ft takes 9.9 to 25 HP depending on the rating. Flat bottom boats often have short transoms, so check for 15 inches before you order. A jon boat is the most common place we send a tiller outboard for sale.

Aluminum fishing boats, 14 to 17 ft

These often run 20 to 60 HP on a tiller, with power trim and electric start. Big tiller rigs are popular with walleye and river anglers who want the whole floor free for fishing.

Small sailboats

Most need a long or extra long shaft so the prop stays in the water when the boat heels or pitches. A 4 to 9.9 HP is common, and a high thrust model helps. Pick a tiller outboard for sale with a 20 or 25 inch shaft unless your transom is unusually low.

River boats

For shallow, rocky rivers, look at a jet tiller. The Yamaha F40JEHA and the F60 jet tiller are both in stock. A jet tiller outboard for sale costs more than the prop version but saves a lot of broken props and lower units.

New or Fairly Used Tiller Motors?

We list both. Each product page says which. New motors at our prices are often an older model year or overstock, which usually means the same engine as the current model. Fairly used motors are tested and checked over before they go on the site, and they’re where the biggest savings are.

If you’ll use the motor hard, every weekend or for work, a new one makes sense. If it’s a backup kicker or a motor for the tender a few times a year, a good used tiller outboard for sale is often the smarter buy. Ask us about any motor and we’ll tell you exactly what it is.

Common Mistakes When Buying a Tiller Motor

• Wrong shaft length. Still the number one mistake. Measure the transom.
• Too heavy to carry. If the motor comes off the boat after every trip, think hard before going over 9.9 HP.
• Too little power. A 2.5 HP on a 14 ft aluminum boat won’t plane. You’ll just push water.
• No kill switch lanyard. Always clip it on.
• Forgetting a fuel tank. Motors from about 8 HP up usually need a separate tank and line.

If you’re unsure, send us the boat details before you buy a tiller outboard for sale, and we’ll point you to the right one.

Who Buys a Tiller Outboard for Sale From Us

Weekend fishermen with jon boats and small aluminum boats are the biggest group. Sailors buy small long shaft tillers for their tenders and auxiliaries. Fishing lodges, rental fleets and resorts buy several at a time because tillers are simple and tough. Small commercial users, like people running water taxis, fish carriers and work skiffs in coastal and island communities, buy tillers because they’re easy to fix far from a dealer. And plenty of buyers overseas order a tiller outboard for sale from us because the size or brand they want simply isn’t stocked near them.

Questions About Buying a Tiller Outboard for Sale

What’s the biggest tiller motor I can get?

Tillers are common up to about 60 HP. Some 90 and 115 HP motors can be fitted with a tiller handle, but most people go remote past 60 HP.

Can I convert a remote motor to a tiller?

On some models, yes, with a tiller kit from the maker. It’s usually cheaper to buy a tiller outboard for sale set up from the factory.

Do small tillers have reverse?

Some of the smallest 2.5 HP motors have forward and neutral only, and you swing the motor round to go backwards. Most from 4 HP up have reverse.

Is a tiller good for a sailboat?

Yes. Most small sailboats use a tiller outboard. Get a long or extra long shaft and consider a high thrust model.

Do you ship to my country?

Yes, we ship worldwide, and shipping is free.

Are the motors new or used?

We sell both new and fairly used tillers. Each listing says which.

More Guides

Still deciding? Have a look at our list of cheap outboard motors for sale or our guide on how to buy outboard motor online.

Final Word

For most small boats, a tiller is the simplest, cheapest and most reliable way to get going. Get the horsepower right for the hull, measure the transom for the shaft, decide on manual or electric start, and you’re set. Browse every tiller outboard for sale in the tables above, and call or WhatsApp +1 209 690 5983 if you want help. You can read more about us, and if you’re new to boating the Discover Boating site is a friendly place to start.