REVIEW: 4645 Harbour

[dr_spock]

Thanks for the review. I would like to get it on sale but there is a Unimog I am saving up for.

[XimenaPaulina]

Thanks for completing the whole new CITY Harbour product line reviews with this one RH! I'm with the majority that I don't find this set any better than the previous Harbour set. The single-piece parts like the conveyor belt and the simply-built crane cab makes for an easier but less-challenging build that doesn't score well with most AFOLs. Good thing I'm not a fan of harbour sets as this is an instant pass for me.

[M'Kyuun]

I think the aim of this new harbor set was to recapture the feel of the old 80's sets; if you take the 6-wide truck and the modern ship out of the pic, it'd fit right in with classic sets. I'm torn on the set personally. The nostalgic nod is nice, but I'm generally a fan of progress. The selling point for me is that the cargo is now grain, and the set is thus equipped for it. I also have to register some disappointment that the conveyor is a stand alone assembly rather than brick-built. Some kind of grain storage silo would have been nice as well, esp if the conveyor could be utilized to put grain in or take it out.

I have the 2007 harbor set, and it reigns as one of my all-time favorite city sets. I love the huge ship hull, and would've liked to have seen it repurposed, perhaps research of large sea creatures, recovery of sunken vessels/aircraft, or as a non-military stylized aircraft carrier...something akin to Agents or the ADU folks of Alien Conquest(secret research on aliens and their tech out on the high seas). Hopefully, somebody at TLG is reading this.

Like others here, I'll hold out for a sale on this set. It's ok, but not really worth the price tag.

[Brickviller]

Thanks for the review, I believe I'm one of those people who like this set over the 2007 one (which I owned).

-Classic like building

-Even though the baseplates are not raised there is still a line of raised bricks in front of it, it's probaly also easier to pick up with two hands. With the last one you needed almost three hands to hold it

-The colors are much better than 2007 one IMO, that one was just boring, grey and depressing (have we ever had a green boat before?

-Farm boat, this means that it will look great next to a small dock near a farm

-Playability, a boat crane and conveyor belt, how much can you ask from one set?

-The crane in the 2007 one was really flimsy and couldn't hold much wheight, even though this is not the same kind of crane. This one is at least better designed than the previous one.

So all in all this is a good set, and IMO better than the previous one. Even though I know many people will disagree with me

[LEGO AFOL]

I like this habour. The only thing I don't really like is the ship.

[arator]

I'm into the harbor and sea sets. When I heard of this release I was really pleased. At this time I'm disappointed. The ships hull is the same as set Coast Guard Patrol Boat & Tower, only another color. I really don't get the idea of the conveyor belt. When the crane unloads the ship, it can easily in the truck instead.

I think there is need for some storage room like this

Everyone is referring to the harbor set of 2007. I prefer to refer to the Nautica-line from the early 90's from the last century.

- ships were brickbuild

- roads were raised above water. (remember these)

No buy for me this time

Edited May 18, 2011 by arator

[romdam]

I was excited about this set when I heard about it but when pictures came out, blah. I had the same thought about the building. Right away that blue made me think of that auto garage from the 80's. The crane looks way to simple and plain. The truck is just a throwaway for me anyways as I am 100% against 6 wide veicles. So if the set was ok, that would have been junk to me anyways. I never will understand why the dock is water level. Makes no sense what so ever. But on the other hand, how many peoples city layouts have water and road plate level anyways. I know if I had my city laid out, the water would have been roadplate level as well. Only thing that would have been higher would have been my 3 seaports from the 90's. I just think for a stand alon set, it should have been raised and a diff color used for the building. Def disappointd on this and the marina. Both could have been so much better but seem to have taken a stpe backwards towrds junior days.

[Jargo]

I like the green hull. At least it isn't yet another red or blue one. I'll get the hull from Bricklink but the set doesn't excite me enough to pay out a large lump of cash for.

[Big Cam]

I think this is a great set, the 6542 set pictured above was always one my proudest moments as a kid, because I put it together correctly and the crane worked.

I'm not currently collecting City sets, but I rate this a 4 out of 5 easily.

[Bart]

The only thing I don't get are those bulges on the sides...

those are called sponsoons.

back in the days there became new regulations for stability of ships, most ships automaticly met with this regulations, but some ships were to slim, so they added this bulges on the sides, at the water line so there breath was wider and they applied with the regulations again.

example

but on a Lego boat it looks just stupid in my opinion.

Bart

[lightningtiger]

Ah, so that explains the ships since 2008 to meet minifig regulations !

A though has just popped into my mind does this unloading setup also act as a ship loader by running the belt in the other direction and the crane unloads the truck. Just a thought.

[tedbeard]

I like the green hull. At least it isn't yet another red or blue one. I'll get the hull from Bricklink but the set doesn't excite me enough to pay out a large lump of cash for.

The ship is definitely the best part of this set for me as well.

[M'Kyuun]

Ah, so that explains the ships since 2008 to meet minifig regulations !

A though has just popped into my mind does this unloading setup also act as a ship loader by running the belt in the other direction and the crane unloads the truck. Just a thought.

I had the same thought about the conveyor; one need only wind in the desired direction. Alas, it looks designed only to feed "grain" to the truck, with no other positioning possible. The conveyor is a great idea for the intended cargo, but i think TLG missed the boat (pun intended) on its utilization. Mounted on a rotating base with a pivot to change the angle of the conveyor, and given the ability to slide on a track would have allowed the conveyor to reach down into the ship's hold to convey the grain up to the truck. As i mentioned, a silo would have completed this set. Given the right placement in relation to the conveyor would then allow the conveyor to be placed below the silo to move grain out to the truck or ship, or placed at a high angle to allow the grain to be passed up to the top of the silo. Those technic actuator pieces would have worked great and given a touch of realism and added functionality to the set.

As it stands, the conveyor adds a little playability, but nothing that couldn't be accomplished with the crane alone.

I don't have a ship with sponsoons yet, so I'd be happy to have it in green to match the farm sets. :)

[Brickviller]

I think the most obvious reason because of those things at the side of the ship is to keep it stable> Look at the height of that thing, if those side things wouldn't be there the ship would roll over in water constantly

[Outer Rim Trading Co.]

I love the 80's retro design of this, from the blue brick walls and yellow door to the little square room which has no purpose :) But what happened to the instructions and stickers being in a carded bag to prevent damage?

[dr_spock]

I love the 80's retro design of this, from the blue brick walls and yellow door to the little square room which has no purpose :) But what happened to the instructions and stickers being in a carded bag to prevent damage?

I got the carded instructions and stickers in the very expensive Technics sets. None of the recent City I bought has carded yet. Anything to do with theme or audience?