LEGO Technic 42089 Power Boat review

Will it be plain sailing for 42089 Power Boat, the first ever LEGO Technic speedboat?

Price: £14.99 / $17.99 / €17.99 Pieces: 174 Available: Dec 26 (UK/Europe), Jan 1 (US)

There have been a number of Technic sets depicting ships and sea going vessels, but none so far has given fans the opportunity to build their very own speed boat. 42089 Power Boat replicates a racing power boat in a red and black colour scheme with racing decals. The play features include a working propeller and replica piston engine.

This box art does a good job of creating a sense of speed and action, with the model racing over the waves. Inside the box there is a nice collection of parts, including a couple of minifigure scale Epee swords (fencing swords). An excellent start as, if nothing else, I haven’t got these in my collection of minifigure accessories so I am sure I can find some way to put those to use in future builds or photography projects. They are actually used for the rear antennas and are an inspired choice.

lego

42089 Power Boat comes together nicely, although even for a relatively new Technic builder like myself there are no unfamiliar techniques. Despite the small size of the set I found the build to be a surprisingly satisfying experience.

When it comes to the colour scheme, the red and black looks great, feeling authentic and sufficiently powerful. From a practical point of view it is a good choice too as the exposed axles and connection parts are also red and black, so integrate with the model much better than they do when used in Technic sets of other colours.

Stickers are used to add extra detail to the body work and they do look good once applied. I especially like the ’89’ used for the number of the boat, which is a nice touch as its the last digits of the set number. Do take note that a few of the stickers are quite large so patience and a steady hand is required.

The play features work well and the when the boat is pushed forward both the propeller and piston engine move in tandem.

For me this is where the positives end. While from certain angles 42089 Power Boat does look like a sleek power boat, these are few and far between. There are far too many gaps at the front and the back looks somewhat unfinished.

The most disappointing aspect of this set though are the three visible wheels underneath the boat. I appreciate they are needed to be able to push the boat along the ground for play (this boat doesn’t actually float) but I would have much preferred these to be hidden completely, or at least better concealed.  Because of the colour scheme and the exposed wheelsl from the side this set looks like the Batmobile from the 1960s TV series – and once you get that thought into your head, it is very difficult to see anything else.

This is a strange set. A building experience that is pleasurable coupled with a dynamic colour scheme should equate to a set that is an exciting thing to own. Yet the finished model is something of a let down and those exposed wheels just look a tad ridiculous. This is by far the weakest set of this current wave.

This product was provided for review by the LEGO Group.

42089 Power Boat is available now at shop.lego.com. You can help support Brick Fanatics’ work by using our affiliate links.

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