The installation was quite easy, Elco’s prompt customer service made it stress free, when we had questions they were quick to respond to guide us. The motors really never need to be serviced, they have one moving part and they operate without a glitch. This customer uses his electric boats very frequently and I never get a call, once the motor is installed you just forget about it.

The operation of an electric boat is such a cool experience, the silent propulsion is really just amazing, you can enjoy the people you’re with and have a conversation without the sound of a diesel and we’re keeping the environment safe as well. The Electric motors over-all are simple, powerful and quiet – perfect for all types of boats but especially launches like this beautiful boat, Segar. 

Specifications

  • Motor, single Elco EP-40 inboard system, operating voltage, nominal 108 vdc.
  • Batteries, 16 Valence U27-24XP Lithium (LiFePo4) batteries, installed as four strings in parallel, of four batteries in series per string.
  • Valence BMS system, providing balanced charging and discharging, along with protection from over charging and over depletion.
  • Elco full color instrument cluster E-Gauge VII, providing motor rpm, Amps being drawn, and state of charge (SOC) remaining.
  • Elco-Valence SOC interface circuit, providing accurate battery charge status, derived from the Valence battery management system (BMS).

Performance

The following are nominal speed, run time, and range, in typical operating conditions.

  • 6.0 knots, 14 hours run time, for a distance of 96 Stat. miles.
  • 7.5 knots,  4.0 hours run time, for a distance of 34 Stat. miles.
  • 8.0 knots,  2.7 hours run time, for a distance of 25 Stat. miles.
  • 9.0 knots   1.0 hour run time, for a distance of 10.3 Stat. miles.
  • Max speed, Approximately 10.5  knots variable.

Segar the starboard tender on the “Margarita” pictured with the Titanic

Segar was built in Scotland by Alexander R. Robertson and Sons, in 1896. She served as the Starboard tender to Anthony J. Drexel’s Steam Yacht “Margarita”, which ferried dignitaries to and from shore in ports all around the world.

Pictured above In 1912 under new ownership by King Leopold II of Belgium, Segar shared the same waters and was photographed with the Titanic.

Soon after that historic picture Segar was donated to the Corinthian Yacht Club of Philadelphia where she served as the club launch until 1970.

Segar was then uncovered after 2 years of storage by Geoff Dougherty in the Yacht Clubs shed in 1972 with a 1/2 inch of dust on the deck, he offered to purchase her for $250. At the 1973 annual meeting the board approved the sale and he took her home and named her Segar as she is long and slender like his favorite stogie!

Geoff stripped off about 10 coats of battleship grey paint that was used during both world wars, and he replaced the engine with an old Canadian fishing boat engine called an Acadia “make-and-break”.

She’d make this amazingly distinctive putt-putt-putt noise when out on the bay. To start the engine you’d have to kick the flywheel… Left foot for forward, right foot for reverse…hopefully… ‘cause there was no neutral…

In 2017 Peter Kellogg and The Myth and Barnegat Restoration Society, Inc. purchased the boat. The Myth Society is a philanthropic 501(c)4 organization that is endowed to perpetually care for wooden boats like this and others. It also gives grant money to community projects and causes that are maritime or sailing themed.

A 3 year complete restoration/rebuild of Segar was finished on August 16, 2020!!!

The “Make-and-break” engine has been replaced with an ELCO 40 hp electric motor (amazingly she was electric in 1896, too!) and a button you can push to make the “Make-and-break” putt-putt-putt sound as a joke and a hat tip to Geoff.