I got parts of this once. I still haven't done anything with the Hull pieces.

Huge! However, it looks pretty awesome.

$30. I am in pain. That's a monsterous size for a powerboat, and look at those hull elements. Looks great.

This feels like it really should have an observation deck for all the passengers to hang out on.

That does still look a bit juniorised doesn’t it? The brick-to-plate ratio appears to be fairly high.

Having said that, it’s quite smart overall, even if the scale of it compared to a mini figure is comically large (see also some of the giant construction sets released around the same time).

Huwbot obviously found this in the same 2005 catalogue that has a much better version of 40634 Icons of Play

https://images.brickset.com/library/view/?f=catalogues/c05uk&p=33

https://images.brickset.com/library/view/?f=catalogues/c05uk&p=54

These oversized city sets were both great and a bit weird.
Bought mine 2nd hand but sadly the engine had died.

These giant hull pieces are delightfully cheap for being set exclusive!
While they took up a lot of plastic in this set, I think they could work wonders as floaters
for a lego rc boat! Last one I built used packing foam and was a little top-heavy, so it capsized
when a child playing in the fountain I was testing it in made to many waves...
shorted the motors for the moment, thankfully they came back to life after fully drying.
Now considering getting 4 of these hull pieces for a mark 2...on that note, does anyone know
a lego piece that would work well as a boat prop?

Also purchased 2nd hand and the engine part 48064c01d didn't work as you need to unscrew half way to insert battery which was not a 100% waterproof design. But I was mainly interested in the hull pieces to build a large Caterman Passenger Ferry, as there are built in 12 length Technic bricks at the rear allowing strong pin connections to extend further Technic bricks the full 48 stud length, and yes even though fairly heavy it did float as the hulls are sealed and empty so just sinks further with more weight and you just build above rather than in-between.

@sjr60 said:
"Huwbot obviously found this in the same 2005 catalogue that has a much better version of 40634 Icons of Play

https://images.brickset.com/library/view/?f=catalogues/c05uk&p=33

https://images.brickset.com/library/view/?f=catalogues/c05uk&p=54 "

Never mind that - THE VIKINGS ARE COMING
Missing out on those sets is one of my biggest Dark Ages regrets

@Ideenvulkan said:
"on that note, does anyone know
a lego piece that would work well as a boat prop?"
You might want to take a look at this guys videos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n83cSg3wohU

First ’civilian’ City set if my memory proves correct.

Looked through this set's inventory, and I think I've discovered the most pointless part in existence: 4260827. Seriously, TLG, were you unable to just take a normal frame and insert some pins into it?

One of my charity shop finds a few years back

This set has (chronologically speaking) the first two LEGO City minifgures.

I bought this set last year, after admiring its look and colour scheme for a while!
Cool set.
Pity the engine is so gutless, it barely powers the “power boat” around a bathtub!

I remember seeing this at Toys ‘R’ Us back in the day. IIRC, I kind of liked it and considered it, but was put off by a boat set designed to be used in actual water but having stickers. That just seemed like suboptimal design to me.

I still found it appealing, though, and if I’d realized it would be a unique source of certain parts, I might have gone for it anyway.

@EtudeTheBadger:
How the slots on pins are oriented affects how easy it is to attach a part with a multi-pin connection. Given the intended destination, they might have also done that as a way to eliminate the risk of losing Technic pins in the water.

@Blondie_Wan:
Ironically, from what I recall, most of the pleasure craft in the harbor near where I grew up all had stickers. I mean, not below the waterline, but registration numbers were commonly just vinyl stickers, either bought loose by the letter, or ordered as an easy-to-apply strip. Boat names, on the other hand, were more often hand-painted.

This set seems to have mixed reactions. I am in the positive camp, because it is one of the sets I and my middle son were able to build and share together. I got it used for about $20 with box, instructions, functional motor and stickers applied to perfection. It was missing about 3 pieces, but otherwise was all original. We loved building and playing with it during a difficult period in our family history. Good memories were still made at such a dark time. Thanks, LEGO!

This one kind of stands out in the very first City line-up, as it did not fit into any of the initial sub-themes (Fire, Police, Construction) despite being somewhat a regular retail set.

It's also interesting that this set largely carried on the Octan branding on, which was somewhat becoming rare in the early 2000s. It even had exclusive Octan torsos!

One of the stronger releases from the very first wave of City, big chunks of plastic can be very easily excused by its ability to float on water which is always insane to have in a lego set and the big hulls are also being recompensated by the set still having a good amount of building left to do. It's sharp, attention grabbing and very lively.

Looks more like 'Speedship', as pre that old nautical chestnut about the difference between boats and ships (a boat can be loaded onto a ship, but a ship can't). Also, like the twin-jets at the back, reminds me of a funny story: so many a year ago, the nearby city of Kelowna use to have hydroplane races on Okanagan Lake during their 'Regatta' (which isn't around anymore either, but I digress). One Sunday; the day after the races, I look across the street (through the front window of my parent's/family home). There it was, in the Summer sun: a hydroplane sitting on a trailer. Me being me, I hiked across the street to get a closer look. I was baffled: it was jet powered, yet had a prop. The owner came out, making sure I wasn't doing damage, and explained that the jet powers the prop, which I still though was weird. Until that point, I always believed the jet propelled the boat...things we learn:)

I always called Octan “Octember” as a kid, it just felt right.

Why is it the big pieces like the hull in this set are almost never in the Lego part inventory?

If this came out as a 4+ set now it would cost at least $100!

@Astrobricks said:
"Why is it the big pieces like the hull in this set are almost never in the Lego part inventory?"

Things get removed, things were never added. Check Bricklink or Rebrickable for inventory instead, they're usually more accurate than LEGO itself.

@Murdoch17 said:
" @Astrobricks said:
"Why is it the big pieces like the hull in this set are almost never in the Lego part inventory?"

Things get removed, things were never added. Check Bricklink or Rebrickable for inventory instead, they're usually more accurate than LEGO itself."
As stated at the bottom of the page, the list comes directly from the 'LEGO Customer Services replacement parts page'.
So presumably bits not available as replacement parts from Lego won't be listed.