Step into the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration with this LEGO® Icons Shackleton’s Lifeboat (40729) model boat kit for adults. Enjoy a mindful experience as you recreate the legendary lifeboat salvaged from the icebound ship Endurance to navigate treacherous Antarctic terrain, ultimately leading to the rescue of the ship’s entire crew. This set includes captain Sir Ernest Shackleton and photographer Frank Hurley minifigures, plus accessories including a camera, stove, oars and a sleigh.
If you haven’t been following the rumour mill, yer best read up on the much larger set, 10355 The Endurance which will be released to coincide with Shackleton’s Lifeboat.
Based on a historic ship which outdid the Titanic’s effort in running into ice
Shackleton’s Lifeboat is also known as the James Caird boat, here be a Historical Overview if you wish to dive into the history.
A model ship kit for adults – Celebrate the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration with this LEGO® Icons Shackleton’s Lifeboat building set.
A LEGO® gift idea for adults – Give this Shackleton’s Lifeboat construction set as a Christmas or any-day gift for history-lovers and fans of famous ships.
The Specifics
Price: While free, the set is valued at $38.99 / £21.99 / 24,99€ / AU 38.$99 / CA $32.99 / SG $36.30
Pieces: 232
Measurements: over 15 cm (6 in.) high, 17 cm (7 in.) long and 6 cm (2.5 in.) wide
Set Includes: All the pieces required to build a LEGO® version of Shackleton’s lifeboat, complete with Sir Ernest Shackleton and Frank Hurley minifigures
Features and functions:
Top of the boat can be removed to allow access to interior
Sleigh attachment to convert the boat to “ice-travel” mode.
Minifig accessories: camera with tripod, stove, sleigh, 2 oars, supplies crate, 2 pickaxes, a shovel, sextant and ice axe.
Finally! We have the official confirmation of the release of 10335 Endurance Ship.
10335 The Endurance will retail for US$269.99 / £229.99 / €269.99 / AU $399.99 / CA $349.99 / SG$379.90, contain 3011 pieces and be released on 29 November, 2024 under the LEGO Icons line.
High resolution, official images were made available on LEGO.com on November 7.
Even without pirates it makes the perfect display piece!
10335 The Endurance now has an official webpage on LEGO.com:
Celebrate the legendary journey of the Endurance Sailing Ship with this authentic LEGO model. At over 30 in. (80 cm) long, this set honors Captain Shackleton’s historic Antarctic expedition, featuring lifeboats, cloth sails, and a display stand with an information plaque. It’s perfect for adult enthusiasts of history and exploration, blending detailed craftsmanship with a timeless story of resilience. This set is launching on 29/11 and will retail for €269.99/£229.99.
Much to the chagrin of some fans, the ship is micro scale and does not include a single minifigure.
Well, at least it has material sails
The stern
Port
Looking down at the deck
It’s very much a display model akin to 10294 LEGO® Titanic than a classic LEGO set, complete with a brick-built wooden stand for shelf display.
The inclusion of material sails, rigging, ratlines and even a Red Ensign flag are perhaps redeeming factors, but are they enough to entice the devout “classically piratey” fans to purchase?
A red ensign flag could be useful…
The hold… a great place to stash booty… oh wait!
Upper deck and helm
One of the lifeboats
Stern with working rudder
The deck is loaded with detail and includes four life boats to enable your custom Shackleton minifig to survive… although he might be a tad large to sail aboard a micro scale ship.
Nay, The Endurance was active during the early twentieth century, a far cry from the Golden Age of Piracy of the 16th and 17th centuries.
It must be such a hard job posing with LEGO sets
Nonetheless, tall ships of any era hold great interest for LEGO Pirates fans, so the Classic Pirates have been tracking these rumours for their benefit.
No detail has been spared
It’s a fun build!
Most life boats in a LEGO set, ever
Perhaps The Endurance is not the ship some hoped for, but the set may offer plenty of relevant parts for the perfect pirate or imperial ship… especially those material sails.
The History
The Endurance is based on a real ship and there be quite a tale behind her!
The ship’s historic details are acknowledged in a special plaque piece
For those not familiar with The Endurance and Sir Ernest Shackleton’s legendary quest, here be a brief Historical Overview with all the vital details:
To satiate the appetite of history buffs who yearn every morsel of knowledge, National Geographic released a documentary featuring The Endurance on 1 November, 2024.
Complete with audio and video clips recorded during the historic voyage, this doco chronicles The Endurance’s voyage, demise and modern rediscovery.
Official Synopsis
In a legendary feat of leadership and perseverance, polar explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton kept his crew of 27 men alive for over a year despite the loss of their ship in frigid pack ice. Over a century later, a team of modern-day explorers sets out to find the sunken ship. From National Geographic Documentary Films and directed by Chai Vasarhelyi, Jimmy Chin and Natalie Hewit, ENDURANCE tells the inspiring stories of these two landmark expeditions, bound by their shared grit and determination.
If yer unable to watch embedded videos, be sure to view the trailer on YouTube.
Let’s assume as far as LEGO.com and retail stores are concerned, it will be available while stock lasts.
How much stock remains is anybody’s guess; so Eldorado Fortress may not disappear over night, but typically the price of retired LEGO sets sky rocket on the aftermarket (eBay, Amazon, BrickLink) very quickly!
So what’s available on retail store shelves may be purchased for future resale at a significantly higher price.
Four sets deep on the top shelf – November 2024
And the further into retirement LEGO sets venture, the higher their price becomes. So you could easily be paying 200-300% for a MISB copy in the near future.
So it’s definitely slated to end production in the near future, if production hasn’t ceased already and The LEGO Group are just clearing out their inventory.
As these parts are no longer circulating, this may indicate blue coat Soldiers are entering indefinite hiatus; so fans hoping for a 6274 Caribbean Clipper remake are plumb out of luck!
But you don’t have to miss out completely… Scrap for 10320 for parts and minifigs!
While the remake generated a vast amount of excitement, it didn’t lack of heated criticism either.
After all, remaking a classic LEGO set is an extremely bold venture because fan expectations often fly through the roof.
Even Governor Broadside has one!
Because no matter how well executed a set is, the The LEGO Group cannot emulate your childhood from three decades ago… simply because you’re no longer that child and the world has moved on.
At the very best, they can release a product that evokes sufficient nostalgia to subdue your adult reality for a momentary respite.
Maybe the design was a deterrent and you refrained from buying one. But hey, this is LEGO – you can tweak the fortress to your satisfaction.
So now is your last chance to consider… least you face the dreaded FOMO…
Where does Steve come from? Are there more merchants who use the same insignia on their flags and sails? Do these merchant also have ships?
Larger ships than Steve?
Elephant Knight rose to the challenge with “The Merchant Vessel Margaret Hamilton”; a plump merchantman capturing that classic LEGO set vibe, complete with trademark cross-cannon insignias, woven into the tan sails.
The build hit the mark with voters, earning him third place winner of Large Building Category.
Now, let’s find out why…
Sailing right towards us with those glorious custom sails
Port bow
Starboard broadside
Stern
Elephant Knight writes:
I thought that the name “Margaret Hamilton” was very piratey sounding when I saw that tile. Hence, the name of the ship. I have also been wanting to try out the clip and tubing thing for a ship’s stern for while.
Spot all the techniques Elephant Knight used…
Intricate detailing on the bow
Outside the captain’s cabin
The helm and some rigging
Elephant Knight continues:
I didn’t have plans to build this at the beginning at all, but I got inspired by a ship recently posted on the forums. This ship has a few firsts for me, like using curved slopes for the hulls, and a new technique for making the sails. even the way the stern is constructed, with the clips on the tubing, is a first for me.
Custom Sails
A distinctive feature of Steve’s “Cutter“, beyond the fact it’s the only official ship in the LEGO Pirates theme with a brick-built hull, were its tan sails with unique insignia.
Custom fabric sails add that aura of authenticity because it brings the build closer to those official ships we know and love.
The insignia also helps to differentiate these Merchants from the similarly tanned sailed Imperial Guards.
Elephant Knight continues:
The sails are cloth. They are stiffened up by using a mixture of gesso, water, and paint(For the colour.) I put four layers of this concoction on. I found the recipe on a topic here on this forum from like, 10 years ago or something. Once they are stiffened up, I cut it into paper sized sheets, and run it through my regular Ink-jet printer. The results are fantastic, in my opinion. I will have to tinker with the amount and colours of paint. This is my first attempt, and it’s pretty good, but I definitely want to be able to match the original Imperial Flagship’s sails
The Decks
From weighing anchor to steering the ship, this is where the action happens!
Elephant Knight has not skimped on the details either, incorporating lanterns, a capstan and jolly boats into the build.
Is that Marooned Marin?
Steve situated amidships near the capstan
The upper deck
Now let’s go down a level…
Steve down the hold biding time
5 star crew accomodation
And all good ships have a crew…
Here be the crew, complete with original Steve minfig
The Backstory
Steve didn’t always have command of his cutter.
Steve’s cutter sails along along side the Margaret Hamilton
After an unfortunate incident, which involved some noodles, somehow he was stripped of his command and sent to serve aboard the Margaret Hamilton.
The Merchant fleet – they bare the insignia but we still don’t know where they originate from
He quickly found the captain was a tyrant to his crew, and arrogant to boot.
Steve jumped ship as soon as he was able and quickly found himself a home aboard the Skull’s Eye Schooner.
The mission was to submit a build that expanded upon the backstory of Steve, one of the most unique and undeveloped minifigure characters in the entire LEGO Pirates canon.
Third place winner of the Large Building Category was awarded a LEGO set of their choosing, valued at 35€, or around $50 Canadian dollars in Elephant Knight’s local currency.
Elephant Knight (or Gerard) has constructed many impressive ships throughout the ages, many of which he’s shared in the LEGO Pirates Forum – and we’re very thankful for it!
But he definitely ain’t a one trick elephant! His Flickr Photostream is loaded with pleasing creations from a variety themes; Town, Space, Castle, Bionicle… and even Aquazone!
In other words, voted for ALL the pirate-themed submissions!
But maybe yer don’t have time to support every single one of them, so the Classic Pirates would like to bring one particular submission to your attention.
After being rejected on LEGO Ideas, since Islander’s Island overlaps with prohibited Pirates Bay/Ship Island concept (although I’m not sure how in this case) I decided to give Tapu Island a run in the upcoming Bricklink Designer Program – Series 6.
Unlike LEGO Ideas, BDP-program comes with somewhat strict framework regarding the parts and minifigures used. In a nutshell, designers are allowed to use only parts and minifigures which are in production, or will be in the near future.
BrickLink Designer Program Series 6 Version
With Open Submission for Series 6 commencing weeks after the conclusion of the Infamous Steve Contest, Marin decided to repurpose Tapu Island for a new audience.
This is the part where you spot the differences
But modifications were undertaken to comply with the BrickLink Designer Program’s requirements.
Marooned Marin continues:
In my case this means: no Islander minifigures, no Pirates minifigures, no cloth sails! Besides that I was required to replace some plates and bricks which do exists now but their production, in that particular colour, came to an end. For instance, wedge plate in medium azure I needed to change to regular square plate etc…
Thanks to the modular approach, rearrange the sections in a different way and get two islands instead of one. Other ways of reconfiguration possible!
Discover the sacred altar, jail cell, and treasure, waterfall with the secret entrance to the hidden cave, two wannabe pirates and three cursed skeletons to inspire action-packed stories.
The most significant change is the new minifig lineup – the Indigo Islanders are gone!
The flames burn brighter in this version
It’s so much fun on the inside! With the undead marching straight towards you…
Changes For BrickLink
The Islander outrigger canoe has been replaced with a the with plastic because cloth isn’t available in the BrickLink Designer palette.
Two two characters have been introduced, Lighthouse keeper Steve – the Infamous Steve’s great great grandson, and Willy (Lighthouse keeper Steve’s grandson).
An additional 50 pages added to the comic detailing the newer version of the island and characters.
The apparition has been transformed into a black skeleton but remains as the villain of the story.
Video Overview
2D images are never enough! Marin provides us with a full, 360 degree animation of the island.
And if yer unable to watch embedded videos, give it a play on YouTube.
Having read the scary Pirate story, about the local “allegedly cursed” island, a grandpa and his grandson indulge in a harmless pirate role-play on the very same island – now turned into a “Pirate” tourist attraction. All the fun and play came to an end when a violent storm broke out and forced two wannabe pirates to take shelter in a dark and perilous island’s cave. Little did they know that the curse was not merely a kid’s bedtime story, but a real thing!
Now, in an ideal world, we would have published a blog post covering the original, contest version of Tapu Island first.
Contest version
BrickLink version
Unfortunately the schedule of the BrickLink Designer Program hasn’t aligned with the capacity of the Classic Pirates Blogging Team.
So we’ve publised the BrickLink version of Tapu Island ahead of the original contest version to ensure it coordinates with the Series 6 Crowd Support phase.
Not to worry! A blog post covering the contest version is already in the pipeline.
About the Builder…
Marooned Marin is based in Dubrovnik, Croatia, a town with old world charm and stunning coastal vistas which happen to include a gigantic fortress… or two.
Marin has to put up with this awful view everyday
If you’d like to connect with Marin, follow him on Instagram and you’ll be treated to beautiful photography of his recent builds, plus a Work In Progress images so you may gaze upon what’s sailing over the horizon. Or if you prefer imagery larger, follow him on Flickr, or rob browse his BrickSafe.
And if yer like watching things, subscribe to his YouTube Channel where yer will discover animated overviews of his most prestigious builds.
What Do Yer Think?
Could yer see Tapu Island as part of yer LEGO Pirates collection?
Parts: 2,376 | Minifigures: 5 Welcome to Somewhere Island, where adventure awaits! Our beloved governor has been captured by the notorious one-legged Seadog, and now he needs your help to secure his freedom.
Since blue coat soldiers were retired from the palette, forts are now becoming tourist attractions
jAn_eVa WRITES:
Though the tales of old may now seem like myths, the spirit of those legendary heroes still lives on in this enchanting destination, which has transformed into a captivating tourist attraction.
Explore the unique features of our island, where the lower level rises above sea level, revealing rocky landscapes, hidden caves, docks, and secret corridors. The building itself can open up, inviting you to marvel at its intricate interior.
This is a scaled up (6 to 1) version of the iconic monkey part from the 1990s.
When I came out from my Dark Ages in late 2013, I saw people make scaled-up minifigures (“maxifigs”) of different sizes, and so I tried to make one too. In the following years, my design evolved with the apparition of new parts and my learning of them and of new techniques, and it became fully modular.
Having read the scary Pirate story, about the local “allegedly cursed” island, a grandpa and his grandson indulge in a harmless pirate role-play on the very same island – now turned into a “Pirate” tourist attraction. All the fun and play came to an end when a violent storm broke out and forced two wannabe pirates to take shelter in a dark and perilous island’s cave. Little did they know that the curse was not merely a kid’s bedtime story, but a real thing!
Hey wasn’t this island entered into a contest once?
mAROONED MARIN WRITES:
Thanks to the modular approach, rearrange the sections in a different way and get two islands instead of one. Other ways of reconfiguration possible!
Discover the sacred altar, jail cell, and treasure, waterfall with the secret entrance to the hidden cave, two wannabe pirates and three cursed skeletons to inspire action-packed stories.
Parts: 4,000 | Minifigures: 8 Dimensions: Length: 81 cm / 31.9 in | Width: 29 cm / 11.5 in | Height: 62 cm / 24.4 in
Fortuna is back! – Completely rebuilt for Series 6! Better, stronger, more detailed, more sophisticated, more polished! There will be a boat included if selected as a finalist!
The Fortunta returns with a new crew!
BrickPerfection WRITES:
Fortuna is a fast sailing frigate designed as a Privateer – a government-commissioned vessel tasked with hunting pirate ships or, deceptively, becoming one. As a true frigate, Fortuna is equipped with 20 cannons and 2 swivel guns.
This set introduces the unpredictable Privateers to the LEGO Pirates theme, capable of aligning with any faction or pursuing their own adventures. Fortuna includes 12 Minifigures, a striking figurehead, and a small cat to protect supplies from rats.
Parts: 950 | Minifigures: 8 Dimensions: Length: 35 cm / 13.8 in | Depth : 14.5 cm / 5.71 in | Height: 24 cm / 9.45 in
The Caribbean Sea is full of dangers, and Captain Garnet and his pirate crew have learned this the hard way! Their ship fell victim to a hurricane and now lies stranded among the rocks and sand of an uncharted island.Has everyone forgotten about the shipwreck of the poor pirates, or perhaps not… Is that a ship approaching on the horizon? But are they friendly pirates, or the Governor’s soldiers?
Well, it won’t be the Governor’s Soldiers who find the pirates from Series 6 onward
Ammiraglio WRITES:
The model features a small Caribbean island with a sandy area, rocks, and a mountain covered in vegetation. The remains of the ship lie in the waves, partially buried in the sand, while the ship’s mast is still useful for scanning the surroundings in hopes of rescue.
The set includes three minifigures and a skeleton, a shark, a monkey, a parrot, and two crabs. Additionally, many pirate-themed accessories are included.
“A Family Trip to the Saint Brickford Fortress” by IamWhatIam
Parts: 4,000 | Minifigures: 4
A family of four, the father, Mr. Wilson, the mother, Mrs. Julia, the daughter, Connie and the son, Billy, visit the fortress for their summer trip. Mr. Frederick, the guide and a known archaeologist leads the family through the fortress’ spooky champers and teaches them the fortress’ history.
If we went back in time to Series 5, blue coat Soldiers would have been stationed here
IamWhatIam WRITES:
The model features a small Caribbean island with a sandy area, rocks, and a mountain covered in vegetation. The remains of the ship lie in the waves, partially buried in the sand, while the ship’s mast is still useful for scanning the surroundings in hopes of rescue.
The set includes three minifigures and a skeleton, a shark, a monkey, a parrot, and two crabs. Additionally, many pirate-themed accessories are included.
In the cabin of his pirate ship, the Captain Red is sleeping peacefully…
He is dreaming: at the sunset of a glorious day, his ship is emerging victorious from the latest battle with the infamous Bricktish Imperial ship which now is sinking…finally!
This dream symbolizes what happened to the soldier parts in Series 6
Goannas89 WRITES:
My creation is a tribute to the world of pirates that wants to highlight a hidden side of the daily life of the captain of a pirate ship.
One minifigure: the pirate is lying under the bed sheets. If you want you can easily remove it and make it sit on the chair, etc. to create different scenes.
From the deep ocean rises a giant, fearsome creature. Mighty tentacles emerge from the water, curls around the ship, and snaps it in half! In the foaming water, a monstrous, hungry maw awaits! It is the legendary kraken, and the sailors must give it their all to survive.
“Hello, beastie!”
TrumanBrick WRITES:
I have always been fascinated with sea monsters and kraken legends. From the stories I read as a kid, to their more recent appearances in movies and pop-culture. For a long time, I have wanted a LEGO set depicting a kraken attack, in the middle of sinking a ship, and the sailors (minifigures) facing the creature, some brave, some scared, doing everything they can to survive.
Angle the sails and fire the cannons. Or, remove the front and rear of the Buildstrong for a cross sectional view of the interior and decks.
Lots of cannons but NO minifigs!
Brick101 WRITES:
The inspiration for the Buildstrong was to emulate the craftsmanship of building a model wooden ship. The Buildstrong represents a period-correct ship model with three gundecks, a full interior, copper cladding, and rigging. Unlike conventional LEGO ship designs, the Buildstrong includes a detachable hull that extends below the waterline, all in micro-scale without sacrificing detail or playability.
A Pirate Anglers paradise for retired pirates and anglers where they can spend all day fishing, catching fish, eating fish, and of course secretly looking for treasure
The scurvy scalawags are back with their small sloop to loot merchants, raid blue coats or resupply Jose’s Inn! Inspired by classic sets like the Renegade Runner (6268) and the Cross Bone Clipper (6250), this BDP model offers an exciting small build to flesh out the harbors of Tortuga, Barracuda Bay, or Eldorado
Black Seas Barracuda Junior
Sam2XD WRITES:
The Scalawag Sloop offers a pleasantly curved hull, brickbuilt sails/cannons, working rudder, and cozy hammock with fewer than 600 pieces. Mischievous pirates have also whispered about the potential of modifying the build to use the fore and aft sails of a famous pirate wreck.
An island lost in the far ocean, a safe haven where you can live without worries and in contact with nature…
Here is the home of Bob Seven, this adventurer who landed many years ago on this little island, where he built, year after year, his secret refuge!
What’s wrong the navigational equipment – everyone seems to be getting lost these days!
BRICKUP_ WRITES:
In his house you can find everything: a comfortable kitchen, a dining room and a wood-burning oven. There is his bedroom, where he takes refuge to rest. In the mezzanine is his favorite place: the art studio, where he creates his songs and meditates watching the stars fall asleep on the ocean…
The adventurer has dreamed about discovering Brickbeard’s long lost bounty since he was a young boy – but will he find the treasure he seeks? Or will he find that there’s more to Brickbeard’s disappearance than meets the eye?
“Runners Rendezvous – The Pirate Inn” by Jackettie
Parts: 2,150 | Minifigures: 7
The Tavern of choice for scallywags and swashbucklers who need a place to rest or hide!
Jack Sassy is yet to leave a review for this inn on Yelp
Jackettie WRITES:
The upstairs of this building features 3 rooms featuring beds and storage for those in need of a short stay whilst the heat cools down, along with an interior balcony and access to an exterior balcony. The main floor consists of ample seating for a pirate crew or two and a bar stocked with plenty of grog for those that have to raise a glass to (good or bad!).
Ahoy mateys! Off the starboard bow, it’s a sign of home! An outpost built by the Imperial Guard. But it looks a bit worse for the wear….. let’s take a closer look and see what ruffians have made their home here.
Well, this one isn’t a tourist attraction
Jacobhorn WRITES:
This design shows two pirates taking over an abandoned outpost built by the Imperial Guard, years after the last soldiers set foot on the island. (Perhaps a former guard remains on the island or just another pirate who thought he found refuge but only found his final resting space!)
So circumstances have improved from three years ago.
The Debate
Now, help us resolve this disputation:
Within LEGO Pirates Forum and social media discussions, some say nay, these creations be a entirely different beast! They’re not official sets.
While others declare they are! After all, they may be fan designs, but they’re produced in the official LEGO factory, and thus they are an official product. Aren’t they?
What Do Yer Think?
Would you pre-order the Series 6 pirate-themed designs if they were made available for Crowd Funding?
Have Yer Voted?
18 October, 2024 be the voting deadline so vote for as many submissions as you please. So vote for all the pirate ones!
Most importantly, DON’T MISS this official opportunity to inform The LEGO Group your demand for LEGO Pirate sets is alive and well!
Have yer ever noticed how 6268 Renegade Runner looks like the wee offspring of 6286 Skulls Eye Schooner?
Yer know, sails adorned with black stripes and a similar colour scheme?
6285 Black Seas Barracuda never had a junior counterpart…well, until now…
The Scalawag Sloop sails alongside Ironhook and the Renegade Runner
Tom Skippy might’ve sparked some ingenuity towards how such a vessel may appear…
Originally built for BrickLink Designer ProgramSeries 6, let’s explore how Tom Skippy has evolved the Scalawag Sloop into the magnificent craft it is today…
Tom writes:
Welp, here she is!
The Scalawag started as an attempt to get effective hull curves on a smaller frame, and I think I’ve nailed it. Originally, I had 1x6x3 1/3 (part 6060) arches for the front, but those weren’t available for the BrickLink Designer Program, but using round plates and tiles worked out.
Some of my favorite pirate ships have been smaller form: the original Imperial Guard Flagship (6271), the Renegade Runner (6268), the Armada Flagship (6280). This was an attempt to make a ship that fused those with the smaller ship type from the IGTP and Eldorado.
The Scalawag Sloop – looks like it would make a fine LEGO set!
Tom continues…
I also wanted a ship that could populate some of the harbors we have (Eldorado Fortress, Pirates of Tortuga, and Pirates of Barracuda Bay). Essentially, I wanted to “add” masts/sails to those ports. So the ship needed to be small enough to dock there without overwhelming the port.
Speaking of Barracuda Bay, I wanted a sloop that can interact with the harbor. Not everyone could get 2 copies of it. One extra note: this ship should easily fit the gaff/jib PoBB sail if you want to go all cloth. And those are the easiest sails to leave out of the bay anyway.
I tried to keep the overall aesthetic in line with The LEGO Company. I didn’t want it to look like a crazy MOC next to PoBB or Eldorado.
Rudder is controllable from a tiller up top.
Note the gentle upward slope of the stern. I don’t think it’s illegal, it was approved after all! The build is solid and stable, through and through. It should be playable, though the cannons can be a little weak.
There will be stickers to add patches to the hammock piece. And yes a figure can sleep in the hammock with the stern deck in place!
Packed with all the details you expect… plus a sleeping quarters you wouldn’t expect
Pirate Pinups
If yer’ve ever wondered how LEGO Pirates decorate their quarters here be a potential answer…
Tom writes:
How would a pirate decorate his sleeping quarters?
I don’t think this one will be approved, but it’s worth a shot!
Too racey for you?
For Broadside’s eyes only!
Notice how the parrot be looking straight at her!
The Real Deal
Crafting virtual MOCs using 3D design software be all well and good, but that leaves us asking; how do they fare when faced with the rigors of the real world?
Scalaway Sloop under construction
Since Tom be offering building instructions for the Scalawag Sloop on Rebrickable, t’would be a disservice to ye, to not test the design using physical bricks.
Here’s what it looks like using real LEGO elements
She floats! The Scalawag Sloop holds together quite nicely when built from authentic LEGO elements – Tom has even pinched some material sails from another ship.
Tom concludes:
The build is pretty stable. I’m waiting on a bricklink order to confirm that the stays support the mast well enough, but the mast design was based on Lego’s 3 in 1 Viking Ship, so the theory is sound. The curved hull is sturdy enough to allow figures to connect to it; it isn’t overly fragile.
The BrickLink Designer Program be a fine way for fans to set sail as LEGO set designers and allow the community to determine which designs make it to shore.
Now embarking upon its Seventh series and accepting your design submissions between Jan 20 — Jan 31, 2025.
Here be a sampling of designs from past series…
“Imperial Outpost” by Legobouwer
“Kraken Attack” by TrumanBrick
“The Pirates Life” by chharitos
And here be the steps in a nutshell:
Design and Build: Create yer own LEGO marvels from a set list o’ bricks.
Submit Designs: Send in yer masterpieces when the submission window be open. The best get picked by BrickLink and voted by fellow pirates.
Crowdfunding: If yer design gets the thumbs up, it goes fer pre-orders. If enough landlubbers back it, it gets made.
Production and Shipping: After about six moons months, yer set be shipped to the backers.
It be a treasure trove of opportunity for LEGO buccaneers!
Get involved in Series 7 today! Surely we’re due for a ship to Crowdfund!
Yer have until the timer reaches 00:00:00:00 to submit yer builds.
Tom hadn’t quite finished with the Scalawag Sloop.
The BrickLink Designer version was just the build’s maiden voyage, and like any good design, there always be room for improvement.
Right, can you spot the differences in the updated version?
Aft and helm
Bow
Stern and aft sail
So Tom set about refitting the ship to smooth out some bothersome kinks.
Tom Skippy writes:
Just about everything that bothered me about the build has been fixed except the following:
1) The brickbuilt gaff sail’s connection has some stress and is likely illegal. To me, the simplicity of the design and the angle of the gaff are more important than a little stress on a technic 4 axle.
The gaff was naff! So Tom fixed it
On left is the original build, while on the right is the updated design.
Tom continues:
2) To get the sexy front hull curve without gaps on the outside, I needed to use jumper plates. so there’s a little half step offset on the wall behind the ladders. There’s probably a way of using some Technic technique, but whatever, it’s behind muskets, ladders, rigging, and similar color parts, nobody cares.
3) The front cannon has a stud that attaches into a round tile with Technic hole. Illegal.
Adjustments to the bow and cannon correction
Tom continues:
4) I wanted to get the part to lot ratio of 3:1. Couldn’t get there. The double build and specialized ship parts killed the dream. Overall price is shockingly good. If you cut the dragon plume, muskets, swords, and make the cannon/swivel black you can hit 10 cents per part before shipping.
5) The curved up aft section. I love them, but it’s a stupid number of plates and the bottom part (brown wedge and black wedge plate keel) doesn’t attach well to the top part of the section (one 2×3 plate). Thankfully the rest of the attachment holds it into place. The build is solid. A kid could play with it. The back might get lose with rough play, but I’m not worried about a kid picking it up. You can pick the build up by the mast and it holds. but I wish it was more satisfying.
Now with a more curvaceous booty!
Tom continues:
6) Some parts of the instructions need callouts instead of individual pages. Moving them, moved other things. I’m so tired of instructions. I left them in.
7) My original goal was to use a renegade runner style sail plan with no custom pieces, only the fore/aft sails from the Barracuda. There may not be a good way given how small they cut the gaff sail. The gaff is either comically low compared to the fore or ridiculously high compared to the stern. To make matters worse, the zip hoses TLC uses for rigging now are almost too long for this ship. Without a square sail, the rigging is way too high. This forced my hand, there needs to be a custom sail. Perhaps the saddest part is that the OG plan was to do a fore/aft for the sloop, then lengthen the hull and add a square sail for a bluecoat version. Now they’ll look too similar.
What do yer think of these improvements?
Tom continues:
There you have it. She’s done. More photos here. Instructions can be found on my rebrickable
Thanks for your support! Let me know what you think!
So once again, tell Tom Skippy what yer think of the Scalawag Sloop in the LEGO Pirates Forum.
About the Builder…
TomSkippy is a regular contributor to the LEGO Pirates Forum. He’s especially good at reimagining classic LEGO sets, whether they be Pirates or even Classic Space. He also participates in Brethren of the Brick Seasand is great at building anything related to Pirates in general, as observed in his Flickr stream.
Feast yer eyes upon this selection of other pirate-themed wonders he crafted!
“Saber Island”
“La Rongeuse”
“Sugarcane Plantation”
If yer take pleasure in his creations and wish to bolster his efforts, set sail to his Rebrickable profile and scour the treasures therein. If yer blow enough wind up his sails, there may be more building instructions on future horizons!
What Do Yer Think?
Has Tom Skippy succeeded in birthing the offspring of the legendary Black Seas Barracuda?
Should the BrickLink Designer Team have selected Scalawag Sloop for Crowdfunding in Series 6?
“The King’s Merchant” by Marooned Marin finds Steve castaway upon a raft, with little more companionship than Spinoza, a chattering monkey… and a ravenous shark.
But why in Poseidon’s name is Steve drifting upon a raft, rather than sailing his sleek Cutter?
Well, there be plenty of backstory so let’s get into it!
Marooned Marin writes:
Like all Small Building Entries submitted to the Infamous Steve Contest, Marin was restricted to 200 parts…
While I was writing a story synopsis for my [LARGE] build, a raft idea popped into my mind. I needed a small vessel which will carry hero of the story, Steve, to the island of many hardships. What started as something simple and insignificant suddenly turned into a standalone design. And here we are.
The model was inspired by the fantastic raft thread, here on Eurobricks forum, named Rafts Rafts Rafts by Zinn. Many nice designs there, I warmly suggest giving it a thorough read.
Steve be headed to the “island of many hardships“, ay?
What possible interpretations could we make from that?
The Build
As per Marin’s standard procedure; the build was designed in BrickLink’s Stud.io before later being constructed with physical LEGO parts.
Physical Build
Since the Classic Pirates love to do things in reverse, let’s look at the physical build first!
Front of Steve’s raft
The raft from the back
Specifications
Parts: 155 parts (with minifigure, monkey and shark)
Difficulty: Easy Build (tested on one +11 years old)
IMPORTANT: Model does not float
Digital Build
Now let’s inspect some digital renders…
Here be Steve and Spinoza, followed by a shark, eager to join them for lunch
Steve with his hand on the tiller
They sail onward
The original sail was comprised of two plate pieces
How Spinoza “ended up with Steve on a raft is quite another story” – guess we need to wait for the prequel!
Design Evolution
Like all great feats of engineering, the raft underwent a generous amount of revision, aided by the helpful feedback of the Creative Critics.
YellowFrog observed:
Nice raft.
I particularly commend the Technic base, I haven’t seen one like it.
One critique would be that the attachment to it looks a little disjointed, though, and breaks the illusion of a log raft.
Marooned Marin Responded:
The Technic base idea came from yards on my ships, which are all built from Technic connectors, and what is a makeshift raft then a bunch of yards and beams string together.
To be honest, going through all the raft designs, I was surprised that none tried this approach, so that gave me extra motivation to do it as best as I can.
The log raft became even more “log-ier”
Marooned Marin continued:
Let me now address the troublesome points.
-> The big 6×8 plate
I agree with the critique, it’s definitely the weak spot of the whole design.
It’s main function is to give the raft sturdy structure. Secondary function is to serve as a studded floor where we can attach barrel, container, and where our minifigure can walk, sit etc…
As I still need the plate for the mast and barrel (not to mention the rigidity of the structure), perhaps this could serve as a compromise. See the [above] image.
Base of the raft – on the right you can see what connectors go where.
Marooned Marin continued:
This way there are still two studs for the minifigure to stand, sit or whatever… the structure is still sturdy, and the texture of the base is clearly visible.
Marin succeeded at omitting the plate from the deck
The original sails were another point of contention, being comprised of two somewhat obscure plate pieces.
Perhaps, back in the day this technique would have flown (6257 Castaway’s Raft anyone?), but in the modern age we strive to evolve, just as the old masters did (6261 Raft Raiders, anyone?)
Christophh asked:
I am curious if the cloth sail is one from LEGO or self-made? Please let me know!
Marooned Marin responded:
The sails are custom made. I used old piece of cloth, dipped in black coffee and sprayed with some strong hair-lacquer to give it stiffness.
The fabric sail was also adapted for the digital version…
Towards the Black Seas Barracuda – what fun could be in store?
Here be an animated 360 degree rotation…
The Backstory
If yer familiar with Marin’s past work, yer know he sails that extra nautical mile by providing elaborate backstories for his creations.
Here I would like to share first two chapters of a long comic. These two chapters will shed some light on Steve’s situation. The remaining chapters will be posted in the [LARGE] Tapu Island topic, hopefully next week.
Chapters are grouped inside the hidden / spoiler area. I did this too make the scrolling through topic easier, there is simply too much images for one post.
For those who would rather enjoy comic in a PDF format here is readily available link: DOWNLOAD HERE
Enjoy!
A beautifully illustrated comic awaits you!
This be Steve in Chapter 1 – but where does he end up?
Download the the first chapter in PDF format, the eponymously titled “The King’s Merchant“, or head to the LEGO Pirates Forum, for the second chapter, Déjà vu.
With more flexibility granted towards the execution of the builds, entrants were challenged to submit creations revolving around the escapades of Steve.
The first place winner of the Small Building Category received a LEGO set (or two) of their choice to the value of 50€.
Marooned Marin is based in Dubrovnik, Croatia, a town with old world charm and stunning coastal vista which also include a gigantic fortress… or two.
Marin has to put up with this awful view everyday
If you’d like to connect with Marin, follow him on Instagram and you’ll be treated to beautiful photography of his recent builds, plus a Work In Progress images so you may gaze upon what’s sailing over the horizon. Or if you prefer imagery larger, follow him on Flickr, or rob browse his BrickSafe.
Build! Build! Build!
And if yer like what you see, perhaps you’re tempted to build these creations for yerself.
Building instructions for many of Marin’s creations are available on ReBrickable, so you can steal learn his building building techniques to incorporate into yer own MOCs.
So if you’ve ever aspired to write about beautifulLEGO Pirate builds, but felt that yer English written skills are not up to scratch, Marin has well and truly demonstrated that is not a limitation to prevent yer from blogging!
Moving on to the second place winner of the Small Building Category we have, “Sneaking Steve” by YellowFrog.
Another vignette, but of the imperial variety; in this scene, Steve surreptitiously creeps towards a blue coat fortress, right beneath the Soldiers‘ very noses.
But what madness drives this audacious behaviour?
Let’s find out!
YellowFrog writes:
Being a Small Building Entry, YellowFrog was limited to 200 parts…
A last-minute entry into the Steve contest.
Estimated 180 parts, built in an hour.
Aye, it took less than an hour to put together a winning entry!
Back of the fortress
Top of the fortress
Where the booze is kept
Ahoy! This build be similar to 6258 Broadside’s Brig… but without the brig…
The Backstory
Steve is sneaking into a blue coat fortress…
He needs to be careful so they don’t spot him…
Will these eagle-eyed sentries spot Steve before it’s too late?
Who knows why he’s going there?
But for such a perilous journey, it must be important!
Steve will be just fine… if the Soldier and horse don’t turn to their left
Is that a barrel of rum I see? That would explain it.
He’s going to steal their precious rum, probably to sell in his trade as a merchant.
Why is the rum always gone? Steve’s pilfering may offer a potential explanation
That’s how Steve does his trading – he steals goods and sells them under the guise of a merchant.
Little do they know, he is a pirate at heart (hence the stealing).
The second place winner of the Small Building Category received a LEGO set of their choice to the value of 35€, or approximately $55 Australian dollars in YellowFrog’s local currency.
YellowFrog (also know as Rob) is an Australian AFOL who first appeared in the LEGO Pirates Forum during the onset of the 2024Infamous Steve Contest, and then sailed on to becoming a prime contender for the Creative Critic.
Steve’s Double-crossing
Steve’s Island Holiday
Quadruplets?
Along with Sneaking Steve, YellowFrog submitted a few more entries named Steve’s Double-crossing, Steve’s Island Holiday, and Quadruplets, respectively; but beyond this contest, the Classic Pirates be unaware of any further pirate exploits from this lemony amphibian.
Nonetheless, those four builds be an impressive debut into the world of LEGO Pirate building!
Yellow Frog Studios
In usual turn of events, we be lacking a Flickr or Instagram profile to share with yer!
Give the Yellow Frog StudiosYouTube Channel a follow as you’ll be treated to LEGO builds, animations, and more, every Saturday at 4PM (GMT).
YellowFrog’s channel also provides greater insight towards some of his other contest entries, albeit they’ve undergone some re-titling from their contest counterparts.
Now that the Infamous Steve Contest is disappearing over the horizon, we shall be exploring some of the winning entries.
Commencing with third place winner of the Small Building Category; “From Merchant to Pirate” by Yatkuu.
A gorgeously lit vignette, with attention focused towards blue-steel ambience contrasting against bright, yellow minifigure visages.
Our hero Steve has found himself in a pickle! But how was he trapped within jarred in the first place?
Yatkuu writes:
Being a Small Building Entry, Yatkuu was limited to 200 parts…
Parts count, highly textured walls are extremely parts intensive and I wanted to keep this one under the 200 elements limit. Granted, there are not 200 elements visible in the final shot and the non-visible parts could have been optimized to offset the overall parts count – but I didn’t want to overthink it all because I wanted to keep it simple. The main focus is meant to be on Steve/the prisoner and I didn’t want the rest of the piece to be too distracting.
Lighting and camera position are everything – here be a Work In Progress shot!
Legend has it this cell is tucked away in the brig of Yatkuu’s “Hermit Fortress” – despite the fortress being a blue coat Soldier stronghold, while Steve’s sentry here is an Imperial Guard.
Sebeus posed the question:
This one picture invites the viewer to want to see more but I suppose it is only this perspective?
May I ask if you achieved this effect with a phone camera or a dedicated camera?
Yatkuu responded:
I shot this in the afternoon with sun shining in from the right and leaving a small gap open in the cell ceiling to give the “ray of light” effect. The camera was laid flat on the table and I covered it and the front part of the build with a blanket to shield it from the outside light and used my phone as small light source under the blanket to make the guard visible. I was hoping the yellowish light of the phone would give it a latern-like glow – I’m not sure I achieved that, but this was the 40th attempt and I decided it was good enough!
The Backstory
What happened to Steve between his last appearance as a merchant at the Imperial Trading Post and his transformation into a pirate aboard Captain Redbeard’s Skull’s Eye Schooner?
Well, if you were to ask him, his stories would vary, often depending on his rum intake that day.
Once, he claimed to have traveled to China, where he made a fortune in the silk trade, only to lose it all in a game of dice. Another time, he boasted of rescuing an Indian princess from an arranged marriage, only to find her “quite a handful”, as he put it.
The truth, however, is much more mundane.
Steve was caught with goods on which he had “forgotten” to pay taxes and was sentenced to a year in jail.
But Steve never wallowed in self-pity. He took this setback in stride, using his time in jail to plan his future and contemplate revenge against the Imperials…
The Infamous Steve Contest
This contest was another joint-venture between the LEGO Pirates Forum at Eurobricks and Classic-Pirates.com held during mid 2024.
The objective was to continue the story of Steve, one of the LEGO Pirates theme’s rarest and most enigmatic minifigs.
It was a grueling, neck and neck race, but “From Merchant to Pirate” eventually edged into the lead, winning 10 to 8.
About the Builder…
Yatkuu or (Gregory Coquelz) is a Belgian LEGO artist and zombie.
Like most talented AFOLs, you’ll find him on common haunts like Flickr and Instagram, where ye may observe the full extent of his building talents.
He has a tiny amount of activity happening on Facebook, Pinterest and X, if those platforms are more to yer liking.
Yatkuu is actually a floating head immersed in LEGO
Yer also may subscribe to his YouTube channel if you prefer a more audio/visual style of presentation.
Upon more than one occasion his creations have been featured in the trade press, by the likes of Brick Journal and Briques Mag.
And to round out his impressive list of accolades; he’s also a LEGO Ideas 10K Club member… but we’re still waiting for him to submit a pirate-themed creation to vote on.
What Do Yer Think?
Are yer enamored by the beautiful lighting and photography?
Do yer agree with this entry is worthy of third place? Should it have ranked higher? Or should “Steve Origins: Meeting Redbeard” taken the third position?
Does the Series 6 Palette include more pirate-themed parts than earlier series?
Well, it wasn’t long until Marooned Marin launched a recuse mission with a boatload of helpful information…
Looking for Series 7 commencing January 2025? Try this useful article.
So What’s the Deal?
Marooned Marin provided a detailed response in the LEGO Pirates Forum.
Marooned Marin writes:
To quickly touch upon question above, […] the answer is NO!
BDP Series 6 Palette of available parts showed even less pirate parts in contrast to previous series.
For readers completely new with this program in a nutshell this means that BrickLink gives in advance allowed list of parts and colours which can be used by fan designers to create anything they like, as long as they use only those parts.
Fewer pirate parts in Series 6! But it’s not only pirates…
Delusion Brick may need to revise Seagull Bay Lighthouse for future series
Probing further into the matter the Classic Pirates asked:
Do you happen to know if soldier flags and torsos are still available?
Marooned Marin responded:
No more Bluecoats whatsoever, no more flags or torsos. That’s the big difference between Series 6 and Series 5, which is unlucky for Pirate builders.
Well, that’s terrible news for builders who were intending to submit an Imperial Soldier design!
The Admiral onboard BrickPerfection’s “Minerva” will need to find a new post
This exclusion correlates with the rumour surrounding 10320 Eldorado Fortress having its production run truncated by an entire 24 months; now expected to cease production during late 2024, rather than 2026. More on that in a future blog post.
Parts directly related to the pirate theme is only what you see in this image
Marooned Marin continues:
Also no more flintlocks and rowboats, which were also previously available. As for Islanders, they were never available on BDP program. Not considered as Islander, but there is also no crocodile. We do have one parrot and sharks, but for anything else directly related to pirate theme it’s only what you see on this [above] image.
This was something like BrickLink Community Activity with goal of using the Studio.io with all available parts, past and present, to promote digital builds and creativity. Award was something like a badge or public recognition.
BrickLink Designer Program is completely different matter, with strict framework for submissions and limited parts. Be assured, there are no islanders available in BDP, indigo classic or POTC.
“Tapu Island” may have won the contest but will it succeed in Series 6?
How will he overcome the lack of Indigo Islander parts?
Marooned Marin concludes:
Oh I got really creative, but I don’t want to spoil as you’ll find out soon enough.
But it’s important to highlight here, for someone who maybe skipped through this blog-post that BrickLink Designer Program is not some “evil branch” of LEGO which has agenda with Pirates, they simply operate and comply with parts which are available and/or planned for production in the next year or two.
BrickLink is doing really amazing work with BPD program.
It will be exciting to gaze up the creative solutions he’s employed to overcome the limitations!
BrickLink Designer Program Series 7
Looking for general information on Series 7 commencing in January 2025?
The Classic Pirates have compiled all the details in this useful article.
As an added incentive to Vote for the Winners of the Infamous Steve Contest, we held a Prize Draw offering a $25 LEGO set of your choice to anyone who Voted.
So now be the time to reveal who WON!
How the Draw Winner was Determined
To determine the Winner everyone who Voted was assigned a Ticket Number.
Voters received TWO Tickets if they Voted for both Building Entries and the Creative Critic… or just one Ticket if they voted for one or the other.
Unlike Wonka, the Classic Pirates gave everyone the opportunity to receive two golden tickets
A random between 1 and the total number of Tickets was selected using the number generator provided by the Picker Wheel website.
And the Winner is…
So you can be assured of authenticity, here is a shoddy handheld video of the Draw…
Many congrat-ye-lations to BINGOWALDORF
A $25 LEGO set of your choice will be dispatched on the next ship departing from LEGO Shipping Port.
Well, through LEGO.com’s distribution network in your region.
What Do Yer Think?
Is offering a Prize a good incentive to Vote?
Or are there better ways to encourage Voter participation?
The Soldiers, yer know the blue coats lead by Governor Broadside, were the original adversaries to the LEGO Pirates. Debuting in 1989 at the dawn of the Pirate theme and fading into obscurity after 1993, until their brief reappearance in 2015.
Their largest and most expensive set, 6276 Eldorado Fortress clocked in at 496 pieces (or 504 pieces according to certain sources) but the structure was much elevated in size thanks to its stone-textured base plate. The next largest, was 6267 Lagoon Lock-Up at 187 pieces, or 70412 Soldiers Fort at 234 pieces, if ye wish to take the most recent sets into consideration.
But alas! The soldiers never saw a set released sized between d Lagoon Lockup and Eldorado Fortress. A LEGO Pirate fan can dream… and create their own classic set concepts, can’t they? Well, that’s exactly what Marcin Mrowiński’s has done with”Imperial Bay“. Like Jason from The Brickstop, Marcin has explored the possibility of how a Soldiers set may be designed, if it were released circa 1995.
Marcin writes:
My favourite LEGO sets were always Castle & Pirates.
This time I present to you “Imperial Bay”.
Inside the tower you can find the “Marble Prison”. Building on the left has Guvernor’s Office where he can finally count all the collected golden coins.
The ever watchful soldier ensures piratical prisoners dare not escape the Marble Prison
Governor Broadside sitting on his commode
So what does it look like in real life?
It doesn’t end there! Marcin acquired the necessary pieces and actually built Imperial Bay using realLEGO bricks!
Not a bad set, huh? Would you dare say it’s better than 70412 Soldiers Fort from 2015?
Marcin writes:
Was finally able to build my MOC in real life
For the youngest audience the Marble Prison was the most interesting stuff in this set.
It has all the hallmarks of a classic Soldiers set…
A superb effort! But the Classic Pirates wouldn’t say “No” to another pirate minifig… like Governor Broadside… oh, and a boat for the pirates… with a sail too!
About the Builder…
Marcin appeared in the Classic Pirates Facebook Group one day to bring word that his magnificent Imperial Bay was available on Rebrickable. Before that, we’d never heard of the blighter! But we’re glad we’ve discovered him, for he has even more great builds in that classic set style. He even has an Instagram account albeit terribly underutilised, but perhaps with some encouragement, that may change.
What Do Yer Think?
Has Marcin succeeded at building a design in the style of a classic LEGO Pirate set circa 1995? will you be acquiring the instructions from Rebrickable and building it yerself?
Add Imperial Bay to your LEGO Pirates collection today!
It takes great dedication to claim the Grand Prize for the Creative Critic.
Steve signs off on the Creative Critic
Not only must Critics provide useful advice… they also must demonstrate a likeable demeanor, because let’s face it… Builders don’t Vote for Critics who are rude and unfriendly!
What happened to Steve between his last appearance as a merchant at the Imperial Trading Post and his transformation into a pirate aboard Captain Redbeard’s Skull’s Eye Schooner?
Steve didn’t always have command of his cutter. After an unfortunate incident, which involved some noodles somehow, he was stripped of his command and sent to serve aboard the Margaret Hamilton…
On just another day in the Caribbean Steve, the Merchant, arrived at the Imperial Trading Post on his trusty Cutter sailing for profit and adventure. Soon after disembarking his vessel, Blue Coats of the Imperial Soldiers raided the Imperial Guard’s Trading Post…
