Siegfried Posted March 19, 2017 Review: 42064 Ocean Explorer Name: Ocean ExplorerNumber: 42064Theme: TechnicYear: 2017Pieces: 1327Price: Euro 89.99€, AUD $169.99Brickset: Extra Info Technic Early 2017 Review Series Welcome to the ninth in my batch of 2017 Technic reviews! I was offered all the small early 2017 sets for review late last year... but I ended up getting the bigger ones too! Thus I have a lot to review. I've been doing them in parallel and changing my process as I go so hopefully the latter ones will end up being the best. On that angle I'll probably retcon some of the earlier reviews if I improve my process. Due to this remember that I'm happy to take extra photos or provide extra info on request, and anything especially good will be added to the main body of the review. Do note though that sometimes the model may no longer exist if I have have made an alternate. On the subject of alternates, I will be making the alt model, if I have the instructions, think the model is worth making, and I have the time. Also I'll show mid stage construction only if I think it's relevant. Thus don't ask for construction photos or alt models if they aren't part of the review.... I am prepared to extract parts for detail photos though. Photos will all be hosted on Flickr so larger versions are available, and relevant videos will be on YouTube and linked to from here. I don't edit photos much; very rarely I'll crop one and almost never will "correct" them so the photos should be as natural as possible. I will try to not be repetitive; thus it's worth reading my other reviews. For example I'm not going to complain too much about the digital instructions; I'll try to complain about new things, or maybe not complain at all! Here's all the other reviews of H1 2017 Technic... 42057 Ultralight Helicopter 42058 Stunt Bike 42059 Stunt Truck (and 45058/42059 Combiner) 42060 Roadwork Crew 42061 Telehandler 42062 Container Yard 42063 BMW R 1200 GS Adventure 42064 Ocean Explorer 42065 Tracked Racer Mucho multi thanks to the EB LUG Ambassador CopMike and the LEGO CEE Team and Designers for allowing me to review these sets for Eurobricks. So onto the review! Packaging Front.... ...back. I don't plan to do the alternate. Mostly due to time, but also as I wasn't too inspired by this model. Here's the top. The scale pic is an interesting choice as it's the first time I know of in a Technic set where the picture has no visible Technic. (There's an axle inside.) Unboxing Standard punch box. Instructions were bagged, and the set is segmented. There's only the main instruction, with the cover being better stock than the main. We're into the big boys now! Parts list page 1.... ...and page 2. Semi random instruction page. Build One bags open! From these you make the accessory vehicles. First up is the little chopper. This has functioning main and tail rotors spun by a gear at the bottom and uses the new double cross-connector piece for the rotor shaft which helps make this remarkable small creation. <RETCON> No! not that piece, this piece! </RETCON> Also is the submersible. It has geared rotating props (not counter rotating though) and worm gear driven claws. These are the spares for the One bags. The rope surprised me. This is all of the Two bags... ...actually it not. I was part though assembling when I realised I was missing parts. Rechecked and found another bag.... ...and by the end we had this! There's a few features that become hard to see later so I'll highlight them now. First off there's the odd part here, the "5" print. It's actually stupidly common part so it's not special in itself, but it's a ship building tradition to do this. Keep this in mind for later! Here you can see the where the crane control shafts are geared up. The red gear is there simply because it's easier alignment than a 3 axle. Two Bag spare parts. I think this is the first time there's been a metallic one of these 1 high pin parts, but I suspect you'll be seeing them a lot more. Cosmetically the 2 long version was ruined (IMHO) by the slits and this solves the problem... Three bags! (Yes, I'm sure this time.) That finishes the model.... but the superstructure.... it's so... white... ...but before I rant about that here's the complete spare parts. (I forgot to take this photo; I'll take a better one in a few days.) While it's not featureless, the lack of colour make it look pretty close to it. Fear not! We have a vast sticker sheet! This adds loads of detail to the bridge mostly. Plus the chopper. (Nothing for the sub.) The ship gets a load line, which while arguably silly is educational (more on that later) and it tells the builder the intended waterline. The life boats are not improved much by the stickers though. But that's enough on stickers. For the sticker fans there's more photos in my Flickr page. The gear near the life boats controls the rudder. Here's the rudders and at full deflection. The mechanism is very similar to the steering in the 42062 Container Stacker set. It's more snappy than smooth. The steering circle is large, but that's arguably accurate. To the front is a set of three wheels to take the weight. The anniversary part is used to lock in the sub. Here's a video showing the functions. I've started mumbling in the videos which is useful if you can decipher it. Sorry if you can't. Most of my points I should re-iterate on in a bit. Size wise here's it on the largest LEGO hull; it's about the same size! (Stickers are old and self-disintegrating.) Didn't test if it'll float like this yet.... Ratings: Function: For a model of this size the functions are minimal. None are particularly impressive either. Showing the props would have helped, but arguably you can't see them in this quasi-waterline model. 3/10 Parts: Excellent really. Mostly structural, but there's still enough mechanical parts too. Oddly there's also some rare-ish System parts too. 10/10 Price: Considering parts only, it's probably the best value set of this wave. 10/10 Accuracy: The small models are very accurate considering the sizes. The chopper is probably too big for that kind of canopy though, but that's just being picky. 8/10 Fudge: This set does raise the question of what makes a Technic set Technic, and I think this one is a bridge too far. It's a shame too as some might recall that I have a thing for water based Technic, partially as there has been so little. But this is not what I had in mind. The focus is weird, even with the choice of using System as the scale display on the box. It's clearly form over function; the coin that is not easily seen in the final model, the fact that the helo-deck has cosmetic structure, the use of system to achieve what does not need to be achieved, such as hand rails and a mast, even the sticker load line. But the vision is inconsistent; the life rafts are an area where some system was needed, yet stickers were all that were offered, the bridge uses stickers to achieve windows when System would have done it better. When I first saw this set I was really looking forward to it, but now it just looks like spare parts. 0/10 Overall: My negativity aside, this is an excellent set for builders. Displayers... well it depends on if you like your Technic to be Technic. It does look pretty good, arguably better than the last ship. But to me it's in the group of "is the really Technic"? 6/10 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lasse D Posted March 19, 2017 Thanks for the review Siegfried. I have not built mine yet, but from your review it seems like we agree on a lot of points. It is a shame LEGO didn't choose the orange minifig baywatch floats as life rafts, and the functionality is not even matching 8839 Supply Ship which is 25 years old! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jfbat Posted March 19, 2017 I have a bit of a gripe with the "window"stickers, as this model is indeed on the border of being pure Technic they could have doen a bit more system here as you also suggest. But hey, that's what modding is for! So, I have a feeling that this one will be arriving for my short holiday in a bit over a week... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Aventador2004 Posted March 20, 2017 The three axle piece is not new as stated in your post I have a 2011 set that had it Otherwise a good review Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Siegfried Posted March 21, 2017 On 20/03/2017 at 1:16 PM, Aventador2004 said: The three axle piece is not new as stated in your post I have a 2011 set that had it Otherwise a good review Wrong part. Yeah I know, that part is 10 years old.. and I did say "double", not "triple". To avoid future confusion I've added this to the review; On 20/03/2017 at 3:40 AM, Siegfried said: <RETCON> No! not that piece, this piece! </RETCON> That's what I get for trying to avoid posting the same photos over and over again... On 20/03/2017 at 4:00 AM, Lasse D said: It is a shame LEGO didn't choose the orange minifig baywatch floats as life rafts, and the functionality is not even matching 8839 Supply Ship which is 25 years old! Hmmm, yeah, the Baywatch floats are a great idea! On 20/03/2017 at 7:45 AM, jfbat said: I have a bit of a gripe with the "window"stickers, as this model is indeed on the border of being pure Technic they could have doen a bit more system here as you also suggest. But hey, that's what modding is for! So, I have a feeling that this one will be arriving for my short holiday in a bit over a week... I'm just going to use it as a Build-Your-Own-Boat kit... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JonathanM Posted December 9, 2018 Picked this up second hand in excellent condition for US$50. I really like it. It has all the features I'd expect to be honest, and they're nicely routed to the top of the cabin. The small chopper and submersible are great little builds as well (chopper with both main and back blades connected, sub with 2 functions as well). I enjoyed the build and it's got a nice load of dark blue, DBG and red panels. Recommended pickup if you can get it for a good price. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
doug72 Posted December 9, 2018 Now listed on Lego Shop as retiring soon. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
