Multi-phase motors are widely used in marine propulsion. In this paper, a Multi-machine modeling of Surface Mounted PM motors is presented and applied to a 5-phase one. The latter is proved to be equivalent to a set of two-phase fictitious machines each ones being characterized by a set of specific harmonic rank. A simple control consists in supplying each fictitious machine by a current which contains only one harmonic. A five phase machine is then supplied by currents with only both first and third harmonics. Considering this kind of control, it is proved that for given stator resistance and average torque the Joule losses and the torque ripple are minimized if a simple criterion on the harmonics of electromotive force at constant speed is fullfilled. Different structures of rotor are then compared to examine numerically which improvements can be practically obtained.