Here’s another set from Round 1 of the 2021 BrickLink Designer Program. This one is #910010-1: Great Fishing Boat. It contains 1,609 pieces and retailed for $129.99 during the crowd funding round. This works out to $0.081 per piece.
Similar to #910028-1: Pursuit of Flight, this set has a white box that has the BrickLink logo as well as the LEGO logo. I like the 18+ white branding over the black branding, but just a personal opinion there. This set was designed by EdouardClo. He is a fan from France and you can read an interview of him here.
The box opens to reveal the parts bag and the card stating you have to get the instructions online. The set contains nine numbered sets of parts bags and then an unnumbered bag. I used the app to build #910028-1: Pursuit of Flight. I found the .pdf instructions for this set on BrickLink’s site and built using them to see if it was a better option.
The first set of bags builds the base of the boat (or maybe the proper term is hull). This part is mostly stacking plates and tiles on top of each other. Nothing too out of the ordinary here.
The second set of bags adds to the hull. It also adds a small crew compartment with two beds, some beverage containers, and some greenery.
Here are some closer pictures from the second set of bags. You add in a propeller and rudder at the stern (right term?) of the boat. The propeller spins and can you can adjust the rudder as desired. I also added a closer look at the crew compartment.
And then I finished the instructions for the second set of bags and had these pieces leftover. I went back and checked multiple times to see where I missed them and couldn’t figure it out. Typically the extra pieces you get are like 1x1 tiles or cheese slopes. I have never had a 1x8 plate as an extra piece.
Despite the pieces leftover from the second set of bags, I pressed onto the third set of bags. And wouldn’t you know, those pieces got used up during the instructions for the third set. I haven’t had this happen before with a Lego set so I wasn’t quite sure what to do, but I went with it.
The third set of bags finishes up more structure for the hull and then puts the decking on the boat.
In the picture of the plastic tray/container you’ll see the pieces I had left at the end of the third build instructions. Exclude the pieces in the top right slot as those are from the bag without a number. After seeing this, I just went with it. Not sure why they made this choice, but okay.
I used the .pdf instructions posted online. I wonder if the app gives you a different building experience without pieces leftover when finishing up a set of bags?
The fourth and fifth sets of bags build the sides of the hull. You mix in the leftover pieces from the third set of bags too. There was a section here that isn’t exactly the strongest to stay together, but it holds. I guess that’s the difference between a BrickLink fan designed set and a Lego designed set.
The sixth set of bags builds all of the sides of the hull in the front and the back that require curves. While the techniques used create some gaps between the pieces, overall it achieves the effect. You build a section, clip it to the next section and then after you have a few sections built, you clip them to the hull. The stern wasn’t too bad and it all fit on pretty easily. I had a challenge with the bow sections as the .pdf instructions don’t allow you to see the sizes of pieces well (in my opinion). I put some Technic pieces on incorrectly which caused some errors. For the bow, you attach the sections for each side that come to a point by sliding some Technic pieces onto the long axle you added in build 1. Then the two connect to each other. After I found my error, it worked okay. It’s definitely a fragile section of the build and it’s not a good idea to hold the boat there.
The last thing to do here is add in the anchor and chain. I would have put the chain on before I attached the top part of the hull as the instructions have you placing the chain through the slot between the pieces. This wasn’t the easiest thing to do, but I figured it out. The instructions have you adding the anchor piece on later, but it was in this bag so I just added it now.
The bags numbered seven and eight build the… is it the bridge? I don’t know. It’s the compartment where you control the boat. The seventh set of bags starts it off and then the eighth finishes it. I had the partial picture and the insides, but must have deleted it somewhere in the process before building my post here. Sorry. The inside has a wheel to steer the boat, a compass, a phone, and a tile as a screen for (maybe) radar. Behind the control area on the inside, you have a few boxes where you store printed tiles with food.
The outside of the compartment has a funnel on the back, three fishing poles that can be attached to each side, lights for fishing at night, and some various gear like a radar, a horn, and possibly an antenna or something for a communication system. The roof detaches pretty easily so you can put a minifigure inside as desired.
This set comes with three minifigures. All of them are adult males. None of the parts seem new to me and they all have faces with facial hair. All of the minifigures have only one expression which is fine by me.
The last bag builds out some rigging, a crab trap with a crab still in it, some crates of fish, adds a few fish to put on the deck that the crew just caught, adds a front part to the bow, and a small crane with a hook that you can move the boxes around with on the deck.
I wasn’t so sure about the rigging at first, but it seems to work. There are some strings used, but it is mostly the thin plastic tubing. It seems to hold up pretty well so I can’t complain.
Overall, it’s a cool set. It’s something out of the ordinary that we have not seen from Lego before. The fan design is not as structurally sound as a Lego produced set would be, but it’s fine for an 18+ set. The price wasn’t too bad, but now it’s at least twice as much or higher on the secondary market. I haven’t looked to see what it would cost to source the parts from BrickLink or elsewhere.
I am not a fan of electronic instructions. I’ve used the app and the .pdf versions and I can say I much prefer the paper instructions. To me, it is easier to see the steps and easier to assemble the Technic parts (you can line up axles to ensure sizing). I’m sure it is a function of cost for these sets, but would prefer instruction books going forward. Plus, I use building as an opportunity to not stare at a screen.
In the meantime, I’m looking forward to the round 2 sets.
Happy building!
