[MOC/MOD] 42064 Ocean Explorer as a Technic Set

[Erik Leppen]

42064 Ocean Explorer is subject to a lot of complaints about the lack of functions. While I agree that the set is sorely lacking in functionality, I also find complaining too easy. The hard part is suggesting an alternative.

So that's what I want to do: convert 42064 to a Technic set.

 

Edit: for the finished model, see here:

(end of edit)

 

First, the plan. Let's ditch the heli and mini sub - these could have been €10 sets, and only eat up parts budget here. The helipad can go too. The superstructure can be reused as a module later. Let's remove the crane, the gray platform in the back, and generally everything else, keeping nothing but an empty hull.

Now, part of the challenge of designing a set is staying in budget. As there's plenty of room, let's make it shorter.

Ok, the functions. First, there are no propellors. Let's connect the front wheels to some propellors.

This requires redesigning the steering module with the rudders.

(As you see, I use color coding for functions in MLCAD.)

The structure inside the bow that holds the curved panels is very voluminous and can be reworked provide a nice open space, that perfectly fits a V8 cylinder engine, also connected to the front wheels.

So that's the basics. Now, what functions to add? Elsewhere I read about the lack of an A-frame gantry. So let's add that.

It has two functions. Move crane with LAs, and a winch (not drawn).

How will this be driven? Manual is nice, but why not try and fit in PF? The space above the engine is perfect to fit a battery box. The bridge will be right behind that. The gearbox to select the functions can go below the bridge.

 

With this in place, there's only one thing from the set missing: lifeboats. The orange 1x3 beams from the set received some flak as well - these can't be serious attempts at lifeboats. So I built slightly bigger lifeboats, with the orange panels from the mini-vehicles.

First, I wanted to put them on the superstructure, but after looking at some pictures of ships on the internet, I figured they could be at the sides of the hull too. There's room behind the superstructure. With a mini "crane" (just a 4x4 bent beam), the lifeboats could be deployed. This is the third motorized function.

This means the space below the bridge is the only palce left to put the function-switcher gearbox. The only place for the PF motor I could find was between the white angular panels. A perfect spot, if you ask me :)


The gearbox has four outputs, so one of them (drawn purple) is unused right now. Maybe it can operate a small ramp at the back, between the blue 3x6x3 panels.

 

Of course, all this is merely some digital designing and virtual doodling. The next step is building this in real bricks, which will certainly pose problems with things not fitting or not working. So I will try to build it and make everything actually work. I'll keep you informed when I have notable progress :)

 

 

 

Edited October 28, 2017 by Erik Leppen
MOC finished, so topic renamed

[VKTechnic]

This is an amazing idea, and you're onto something with all those functions. I look forward to seeing more! :)

[legolijntje]

That's a cool idea! Almost makes me actually wanna buy the set 
Looking forward to the end result.

[Huaojozu]

Nanananana, I'm loving it! Great idea!

 

Definitely looking forward to more progress. You mention keeping in budget and then add 2 large LAs and PF, which would surely push you over the top. Never mind that though, I'd suggest you try and reuse as much of the original set to keep it as close to a C-Model with added PF as possible. 

[Philo]

Very interesting! I just finished LDrawing the official version, which brings a little question, why did you used a "fake" angled panel (24116) at rear, it is an official LDraw part since 2015/02 release.

[Systemtech]

Very very cool ideas here. I agree on trying to stick to a C-model but the features your adding are very cool.

One question. Why hide the engine with the battery? I know its the only logical place to put it, but maybe do away with one of them?

[lcvisser]

This is great; I'll be following this.

I agree with @Systemtech re the battery box. Maybe the batter box can fit in the superstructure?

[Jeroen Ottens]

Very cool idea indeed!

If you are serious about the budget the PF parts need to be an add-on system. Which is still perfectly fine to do I would say, it just poses a slighty bigger challenge in the sense that the motor, batterybox and wires should be easily mountable without tearing half the model apart. And of course you can add one set of LED lights as well.

I am not sure about the fake engine though... It is in the wrong place (should be mid-ship I think), it is hidden under the BB and it adds a lot of costs for little extra value IMHO.

You could do a cost comparison of your model and the official set on Rebrickable, that will be interesting...

[Systemtech]

35 minutes ago, Jeroen Ottens said:

Very cool idea indeed!

If you are serious about the budget the PF parts need to be an add-on system. Which is still perfectly fine to do I would say, it just poses a slighty bigger challenge in the sense that the motor, batterybox and wires should be easily mountable without tearing half the model apart. And of course you can add one set of LED lights as well.

I am not sure about the fake engine though... It is in the wrong place (should be mid-ship I think), it is hidden under the BB and it adds a lot of costs for little extra value IMHO.

You could do a cost comparison of your model and the official set on Rebrickable, that will be interesting...

I agree with all 3 points here. Especially the engine. Rather do everything else and leave the engine off. That way you can still fit the BB under the fore deck.

[Erik Leppen]

Thanks for all the replies so far!

About "budget" and PF. I am not a set designer, so fortunately, I don't have a strict limit. So I will add something if I think it makes the model more functional. Hence the LAs. I don't want to be too strict in this. The main reason for making the ship shorter is because I think it will make the model more technically interesting. Keeping part count in check simply means I don't want to add things that don't "add" anything, like the helipad or the mini vehicles.

Power functions as an add-on is a good idea though. Both the motor and the battery box are already in a position where it can be easily added. I could easily replace it by an HOG axle. I don't own a set of lights myself, so I probably won't add those.

About the engine. Yes, it's true that it's hidden by the battery box, and in the wrong place in comparison to real ships. I don't like that either. I could remove it, but the reason I added it there is because I hate large empty spaces in Technic models, especially at the bottom. It just fits perfectly, and the drive axle is nearby, so it takes almost no extra effort to add it. Also, there is no other place where it could fit (which I think is a good thing. It means the space is used well).

About C-model and using parts from the set. I won't use any dark blue that's not in the set, simply because I don't have any. I replaced the rudders so I can use the blue panels elsewhere. Apart fom the length and some internal connections, the hull is the same. I will use the same red panels (but 2 fewer), and the bridge will also be mostly the same (although the CAD has yellow windows made from parts instead of stickers, because I don't like the sticker solution). But I have to add a lot of parts, like connectors, axles, gears, bushes. Most of this will be fairly common stuff though, in fairly common colors.

By the way, the CAD file right now is 980 parts. This includes the tiles used for the "fake" panels, but I left out a lot of pins for the hull, parts of the bridge and many details, so currently this will be around 1200 parts and it might be 1400 at the end.

The primary goal is to make a good model. Everything else (C-model, part count, "set-like-ness") is secondary to that.

[schraubedrin]

That's an astonishing MOC/Mod.

I adore so many functions in such a small place.

 

What kinda stood out to me were the LAs. I think mini-LAs would fit better in the overall scale.

[Kmuffin]

Excellent idea. This actually make me wanna buy it.

[Seasider]

Could you shift the lifeboats forward 1 module to put the engine in a more accurate position?

the battery box in the bow isn't a bad place to hide it. 

[Vectormatic]

Very nice concept!

 

Im not 100% on the fake engine though, AFAIK big ships tend to use large inline diesels rather then V8s, and hiding it under the battery box (one of the biggest least see-through parts ever) is a shame, a 4 cilinder inline (or even two, one per screw axle) more near the back would be more realistic.

[VKTechnic]

I think the engine position isn't a huge deal especially if you go with the approach of PF being an add-on. Granted, it's still not in a technically accurate position (or the right kind of engine), but it won't be blocked off in the non-motorized version. 

[Appie]

 

23 hours ago, Erik Leppen said:

First, the plan. Let's ditch the heli and mini sub - these could have been €10 sets, and only eat up parts budget here. The helipad can go too.

(...)

Keeping part count in check simply means I don't want to add things that don't "add" anything, like the helipad or the mini vehicles.

You keep hating on those minibuilds, but imo they add more to the model than your "lifeboats". The reason for that being that they at least have something that could qualify as a Technic function on their own instead of being just a prop like your boats.

 

Other than that, keep it up, except really need to move that BB or engine though. It looks really weird imo.

[aeh5040]

This is an awesome idea, and fantastic progress so far!  I would definitely buy the set to build this...

TLG should be paying you to do this

Edited February 2, 2017 by aeh5040

[Cumulonimbus]

Nice MOD. I'm curious to see what the end result will be. As suggested earlier, the A-frame could use mini-LA's to keep the scale more realistic. Not too convinced by the life boats to be honest, they might look better if the mini panels face towards the sides of the boats instead of the bottom.

I get the feeling that this set will be the basis for many MODs and variations, container vessels, ferries and fishing ships (as mentioned before) come to mind. I have plans for an extensive MOD of this set as well and I hope to realise a childhood dream...

[Erik Leppen]

There's real (plastic) progress! :)

All pictures:
http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/ErikLeppen/Mods/42064Technic/boat1_1.jpg
http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/ErikLeppen/Mods/42064Technic/boat1_2.jpg
http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/ErikLeppen/Mods/42064Technic/boat1_3.jpg
http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/ErikLeppen/Mods/42064Technic/boat1_4.jpg
http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/ErikLeppen/Mods/42064Technic/boat1_5.jpg
http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/ErikLeppen/Mods/42064Technic/boat1_6.jpg

 

@schraubedrin: Yes, small LAs might be better, indeed. I have used large ones right now, but I may switch to small if I can connect them in a nice way.

 

@Seasider: I think the current distribution of modules is the best possible option. If I were to move the lifeboats forward, then the gearbox has to move backwards, and the winch will be in the way. Also, the engine will then be covered by the gearbox. Also, in the current setup, the gearbox is right below the bridge, meaning the upwards axles to control the shifting are at almost the same place as the knobs for the original crane in the official set (which I think is the best place).

 

The only other option I could imagine possible for the engine, is to have two inline engines at the sides (these are only 3 studs wide), probably in the rear, below the LAs. But even then, I doubt whether it can fit in.

 

The other option, which is what I am trying right now, is swapping the engine and batterybox, so that the batterybox is below the engine. This means the BB isn't covering the engine anymore.

 

I understand the front engine isn't realistic, but it's the best space distribution currently possible. The functions are nicely laid out from front to back, meaning the model has no "boring sections".

 

@Appie: The mini-vehicles aren't bad. On the contrary (I still think they could have been sets on their own. As you say, at least they are proper Technic models). The problem with 42064 is that the ship is bad. I'm building a better ship, in which there won't be enough room to have mini-vehicles. I ditched them, because I wanted to use the space for functions. This is Technic, after all ;)

Also, personally, I just strongly dislike multi-vehicle sets. I rather see one big thing with a lot of stuff inside it, than two separate smaller builds.

 

@Cumulonimbus: yeah, I might redesign the lifeboats a bit (even if only to fit the string piece better). But maybe someone else can make something up for them? :)

[Jeroen Ottens]

Looking good, I have a weak spot for dense & complicated gear assy's

I do agree about the mini-LA's though, the LA's look a bit out of scale...

[Bartybum]

How's the build coming along?

[Bartybum]

I take it this build is dead

[Erik Leppen]

I should revive it, actually. Maybe when TC12 is done. One of the problems I had at the time was that the original set was at another place than my own parts, so I didn't have the dark blue parts at hand. But yes, it would be a shame if this ship stranded...

[BrickbyBrickTechnic]

3 hours ago, Erik Leppen said:

I should revive it, actually. Maybe when TC12 is done. One of the problems I had at the time was that the original set was at another place than my own parts, so I didn't have the dark blue parts at hand. But yes, it would be a shame if this ship stranded...

Please do. This is turning out great.

[Bartybum]

20 hours ago, BrickbyBrickTechnic said:

Please do. This is turning out great.

Agreed!