Play out swashbuckling adventures with this LEGO® Creator 3 in 1 Iconic Pirate Ship (31387) building toy for boys and girls ages 9 and up AFOLs. This set is packed with plenty of features and offers 3 building options with the same bricks. Kids can create a large vessel featuring a moving anchor, posable sails, 2 cannons to fight off a sea monster with posable tentacles, a cabin with a desk and chair, a moving ship’s wheel, a secret compartment with a treasure chest and a crow’s nest.
Looks great on top of your laundry hamper!
Swings right open just like the Skulls Eye Schooner
Remove a section of deck to reveal the toy boat’s hold. Rebuild into a buccaneer’s castle with a tower, pier and palm tree, which can be opened in the middle to reveal several rooms and a cave, or 2 smaller twin ships for kids to role-play battles.
Another captain who looks strikingly similar to Johnny Thunder
Close-up of the new pirate torso design
What Do Yer Think?
Pre-Order yer 31387 Iconic Pirate Ship to secure your set(s) NOW and avoid inevitable stock shortages in the future.
The countdown to release has begun!
After yer order has been placed, tell us how many Creator Iconic Pirate Ships yer bought in the Classic Pirates Facebook Group and how yer intend to display or customise them.
Well, “everywhere” is hyperbolic, but in the absence of blue coatSoldier parts from recent BrickLink Designer palettes, there’s been a surge in imperial minfigures that innovate using non-imperial parts.
But that harks the question:
Where is this practice steering our beloved LEGO Pirate theme in the future?
Are these new imperial minifigs merely sailing in for a fleeting cameo? Or are we witnessing the first ripples of something larger, a shift that could reshape the entire LEGO Pirate mythos?
So… what are these NEWLEGO Pirate factions?
Thieves of Tortuga
A most welcome revision to BrickLink Designer ProgramSeries 5 finalist, The Thieves of Tortuga was the inclusion of brand new imperial faction, complete with unique flag.
It’s assuring that the Model Governance Team has demonstrated a willingness to innovate beyond the builder’s original design and incorporate new elements.
After all, an opposing faction introduces playability (or is that displayability in the case of AFOLs?) and throws the hatch wide open for expanding LEGO Pirate lore.
Tension could potentially arise when formally attired visitors arrive at a pirate haven… or is there more at play? Could these imperials be in league with the pirates? Could they in conflict with other imperial factions?
Speculation aside, virtually nothing is known of these green coat minifigs. Not an ounce of detail was officially revealed by the BrickLink Designer Program leaving their identity and history to the imaginations of fans.
A few hundred years later the green uniform is still in use
Fans ponder such questions, like:
Who be these imperials? If that is indeed what they are…
What business do they have visiting a renown pirate haven?
What be their port of origin?
And will we ever see their hides again in future sets?
Their flag is executed by means of a sticker so perhaps that design can be easily repurposed for future use. But the torsos originate from 10297 Boutique Hotel and once that set is retired, what shall become of its minifigure torso design?
The parts to assemble this yet-to-be named faction are currently available on Pick A Brick and yer shall find various sellers on the secondary market offering ready-made minifigs to accelerate yer reciting.
Not only did Brick Perfection name the faction, he created identities for its core characters, Captain Blackwell and Lieutenant Hazard, along with a narrative to explain how the Unpredictable Privateers unscrupulously aligned themselves with the existing, officialLEGO Pirate factions, particularity the Imperial Guards.
The Unpredictable Privateers often aligned themselves with the Imperial Guards
Future Unpredictable Privateer Sets?
Beyond Fortuna, from where the Unpredictable Privateers hail remains a mystery. Surely they possess a stronghold akin to Eldorado Fortress or a port as grand as the Imperial Trading Post?
“Port Fenzance” by Ammiraglio – be this where the Privateers hail?
And what of smaller outposts and vessels? To properly flesh out a LEGO sub-theme there must be a range of sets covering various price points.
Fortuna fulfills the role of the flagship set, but that hardly seems sufficient to cement the Unpredictable Privateers’ legacy within the Pirate theme. So where next?
Fortuna employed the Pirate-themed torso designs introduced in 21358 Vending Machine, with the officers donning the uniform worn by Camilla, and the sailors sporting similar attire to Bo’Sun Will.
This approach offers a clever means of extending the torso design’s use beyond just one set, but what becomes of the uniform after the 21358 Vending Machine retires?
Shall that be it? Will the torsos fade into obscurity along with the set? Or may they surface again? Like a Gift With Purchase in the manner 40597 Scary Pirate Island reused the pirate torso from Creator 3-in 1 Pirate Ship?
Return of the Imperial Armada?
In the Coconut CapeFinalist announcement, the Classic Pirates suggested the minifigures were inspired by the Imperial Armada.
As Coconut Cape is still undergoing refinement for its June 2026 Crowdfunding, the finalised minifigures have yet to be announced, so perhaps they’ll be steered in a completely different, non-armada direction.
Nonetheless, lets remain optimistic we’ll receive a continuation of that sub-theme in some form. In the interest of adhering to the Imperial Armada’s legacy, the morion piece could be whisked from retirement.
A modern head and classic Imperial Armada minifigures
Wishful thinking! Each BrickLink Designer series has a strictly predefined palette. Therefore, in the interest of efficiency, the BrickLink Designer Team’s intent is not to deviate beyond that collection of parts.
Minifig comparison: The Cape versus the Classics
But just imagine… in the interest of providing greater authenticity to Classic Theme minfigures, what if the Model Governance Team could occasionally retrieve retired parts from the archive?
Given the Imperial Armada has an established identity, could this sub-theme successfully return without the minifigure’s iconic helmets?
After all, these domes were a defining feature that well and truly differentiated the armada conquistadors from their tricorn and shako wearing predecessors.
The Series 5 version of Coconut Cape had different minifigures
Furthermore, if the BrickLink Designer Program strives to raise the bar and convince buyers that BrickLinksets are little more than just fan designs that offer an assortment of incumbent parts, perhaps boldly venturing beyond the advertised palette during the Refinement phase may assist in this endeavor.
The conquistador from Collectible Minifigures, Series 8 – 📸 @projetodmais
After more than a decade hiatus, the morion piece reappeared atop the conquistador from Collectible Minifigure Series 12 during 2012. The Imperial Armada’s unique vac metal curiass however, hasn’t seen the light of day since the Armada Flagship’s re-release during 2001.
Whence these pieces will resurface is anybody’s guess, but if there were ever a time, Coconut Cape’s impending production run would be it.
What Do Yer Think?
Are yer happy to see new LEGO Pirate factions, even if they’re only comprised a flag and a couple of minifigures using existing parts?
Or would yer prefer more consideration in their execution? So rather than a one-off appearance, how could new factions be introduced in a meaningful way that could be built upon in future set releases?
His LEGO Ideas submission, The Old Man and the Sea achieved 10K Supporters during October 2025 but was relegated to the Parking Lot for future consideration. Well, the future is finally here…
During the LEGO® Ideas Review Results 2025-2 presentation it was revealed The Old Man and the Sea has been officially selected for production…
Congratulations again to Iyan ha for reaching 10,000 supporters on LEGO Ideas, and toward everyone for all your support for the The Old Man and the Sea project.
As of today, we’re still looking into the possibility of releasing a set based on this project and have decided to place it in the Parking Lot. We will keep it in review (for a maximum of three review periods in total) until we have made a final decision. Once we have a decision, we’ll share it with you here and on the LEGO Ideas blog
Guess which projects made the cut…
Unrivalled Innovation and Remarkable Creativity
And next from the Review Results 2025-2 on the LEGO Ideas blog published 27 April, 2026.
After undergoing careful consideration, not one, not two but three Product Ideas successfully cleared the Review round and moved into product development, alongside one that came in from the Parking Lot.
Tune in below and let Jim Clayton, Model Designer, and Andrea Santos Encarnacion, Marketing Manager, take you through the four successful Product Ideas that are on the road to becoming official LEGO Ideas sets.
Would yer build it straight out of the instruction manual? Or would yer add a few pirate adornments to align it with the rest of yer LEGO Pirates collection?
Time to take another survey so yer can inform The LEGO Group yer want LEGO Pirates and Classic Themes to return on a permanent basis… FOREVER and EVER!
The survey be open until 30 April, 2026 and will take around 10 minutes.
Think of the LEGO® Fan Compass as a message in a bottle straight to Billund: a short, anonymous survey where fans can speak freely about the hobby’s past, present, and the course they want LEGO to set next.
At the LEGO Group, the best part of what we do is the community that builds alongside us.
We’re exploring new ways to really listen to you, and your feedback is a vital piece of the puzzle. We want to hear about your individual LEGO journey; what inspires you, what you enjoy, and where you think the hobby could grow.
While we’d love for you to share this survey with your friends and fellow fans, please make sure your own answers reflect your personal views and habits. We’re here to listen to you.
Did yer catch that last part!
Don’t allow the Classic Pirates influence yer thoughts, speak from yer salty heart!
In case yer don’t have time to watch the video, here be the golden nuggets.
Rio Bricks suggests:
Give feedback on what’s included in sets.
Encourage LEGO to make more unlicensed theme sets […] and not just $100 plus display sets, but smaller play sets and Battle Packs that are actually accessible to the average collector.
We need sets that actually encourage creativity […] otherwise there won’t be a fan base for Classic Theme sets in 20 years
But ensure these sentiments align with yer own personal views!
At present we’re unclear whether the set has been officially revealed… or leaked, accidentally on purpose…
LEGO.com be missing a 31387 Iconic Pirate Ship webpage at the time of writing, but these days it ain’t uncommon for the official website to be lacking upcoming sets, even after they’ve been officially announced.
The Three Builds
Titular iconic Pirate Ship with a kraken attackin’
Pirate hovel at the base of an abandoned imperial fort
Be the main ship different enough from the previous Creator 3-in-1 pirate ship? Or were yer hoping for a set that ventures into completely uncharted waters?
Let’s get the conversation flowing! Share yer thoughts on 31387 Iconic Pirate Ship in the Classic Pirates Facebook Group.
910053 The Thieves of Tortuga be returnin’ for the BrickLink Designer ProgramSeries 5Excess Stock Sale on 20 April, 2026 — but the stash is scarce and likely to vanish in mere minutes!
17:00 CET | 16:00 BST | 5:00 PM CET €339.99 / £299.99/ US $339.99 / CA $429.99 / AU $529.99
How To Buy
Yer will need a BrickLink account linked to yer LEGO.com account, so sort that out if yer haven’t already done so.
How can I check if excess BrickLink Designer Program (BDP) sets are available?
In order to receive a link to order excess stock sets, you need to be subscribed to marketing emails from BrickLink. You will find a link in the email you received about the extra BDP sets. Click the link, choose any of the sets listed, and you’ll be taken to LEGO.com. To add additional sets to your cart, you will need to navigate back to the BrickLink website.
It sold rather well during Crowdfunding which took place in June 2024, so yer be mighty fortunate to have this opportunity to acquire it, if yer missed out last time.
Excess stock be the leftover plunder from the first production run — sets freed up after failed payments, cancelled orders, and what not. ’Tis not a fresh haul from the LEGO factory, but the scraps leftover after original backers fled on the rising tide when it was discovered their gold was rotten.
So when BrickLink throws the hatch open and the sale begins, it will become a wild scramble on deck… new limits, fresh chances, and only a handful of sets for the quickest buccaneers. The supply may deplete in a heartbeat, and only the quickest cutlasses walk away with the prize.
In other words, first in, first served!
What Do Yer Think?
Shall ye seize this opportunity and buy The Thieves of Tortuga, especially if yer missed out during the initial Crowdfunding?
Could this be an opportunity to procure a third set? Or be it “Nay, go away“, for those blasted BrickLink Designer sets lack the allure of proper retail releases?
Plot yer course as the clock be tickin’ down to the April 20 sale…
Now that The LEGO Group has officially unveiled the second wave of One Piece sets based upon the Netflix series, we’d like to ask you, the devoted LEGO Pirate fans whether the One Piece LEGO theme is relevant enough to continue reporting on?
Unlike other licenced themes, like Pirates of the Caribbean,One Piece can be far removed from the LEGO Pirate theme. Some of the One Piece sets aren’t well aligned with our Classic Theme charter, while others ain’t remotely pirate at all!
And unlike the Spiderman cross-over sets, many of the One Piece set lack relevant pirate parts, so it’s almost like reporting on completely unrelated sets.
But before we toss One Piece overboard, we want your say…
How much One Piece should Classic Pirates cover in the future?
Should Classic Pirates keep covering One Piece LEGO sets?
Let’s plunge deeper into the poll options…
Option 1: Yes, All of Them
Business as usual, we’ll keep charting the whole kit and kaboodle!
Classic Pirates will keep bringing yer the latest One Piece news and rumours whether it’s strictly relevant to the LEGO Pirates theme or not.
We’ll still permit fans to discuss their One Piece sets, MOCs and MODs in the LEGO Pirates Forum and Classic Pirates Facebook Group… but Classic-Pirates.com won’t scour the Interwebs for the latest rumours and official news, nor will we blast such spoils across our various communication channels.
Despite the noticeable absence of traditional pirates in the latest sets, an interesting observation was made while viewing the NetflixOne Piece special trailer.
Overall, the trailer has a much greater piratical atmosphere, with its bright blue skies and seemingly tropical setting. But most interestingly it offers a glimpse of a confrontation between 75646 Garp’s Marine Battleship and an unknown vessel.
The tall ship appears rather generic, lacking the trimmings of an elaborate LEGO set, suggesting it’s little more than a hollow simulacrum for pirates.
But does this signal hope for One Piece’s relevance to classic LEGO Pirates?
The Questions & AnswersWebinar for the BrickLink Designer ProgramSeries 11 echoed across the BrickLinkYouTube Channel upon 28 March, 2026.
Packed to the gunwales with insider knowledge, it provides builders the firepower they need to take command of Series 11 and navigate a course through the Review phase like seasoned captains.
If embedded videos be refusin’ to cooperate, just give the button below a tap and watch it straight on YouTube…
Learn about the Submission Guidelines for BrickLink® Designer Program (BDP): Series 11 as Alex, BDP Project Manager, covers updates and common questions. Aspiring fan designers ask questions and get clarification to some of the nuances of various guidelines.
Well, this time they tacked “(BPD)” after “BrickLink® Designer Program” but it’s the same wording as past series.
The biggest thing here is ensure you get your models submitted during this time […] the earlier you submit it the better […] You’ll have more time to work on your models if there are any issues.
So have yer designs ready as soon as Open Submission begins on April 20 and then yer have 9 days before the May 4 deadline to address any problems preventing it from being accepted.
Theme Statistics
6% or 35 of the 594Series 10 submissions were Pirate-themed, while the ever-enduring Medieval/Castle themed constituted 22% or 135 of the 594 total submissions.
Medieval and Castle are starting to cool down a little bit […] but that’s a good thing. We’re starting to see a little bit more diversity there.
Meanwhile, Medieval/Castle has increased to 135 submission in Series 10, up from 130 in Series 9. However, in relation to the total number of submissions, Castle has decreased from 30% to 22%. A noticeable decline.
Comparison: 27 Pirate designs were submitted to Series 9
Pirate was a little under represented in past series.
Aye, during the early days of the BrickLink Designer Program, Pirate builders were somewhat reluctant to participate due to the perception they’d have little success, much attributed to how the program launched back in 2021.
BDPInvitational finalists: Castle, Space, Town… and Western
During the Brick Designer Program’s “invitational” launch, a design from each of the early Classic LEGO Themes was selected as a finalist. Castle, Space and Town builders were granted a reason to invest in the program, while Pirates were pipped at the post by Western.
Earlier in the decade many LEGO Pirate fans felt submitting designs to BrickLink or LEGO Ideas was a futile endeavour because it seemed The LEGO Group had implicitly decided “2020 is your year and we’re not interested until further notice.”
Four LEGO Ideas submissions reached 10K supporters but were rejected
Also around that time, fourPirate-themed submissions achieved 10K supporters on LEGO Ideas but failed review. This only fueled the demoralisation that was already hampering Pirate‑builder enthusiasm during the earlier BrickLink Designer series.
Part Count
During the Series 10 webinar, Alex was preaching the importance of smaller models, less than 2,000 parts. Well builders have taken advisory this onboard!
~25% of Series 10 models fell within the 2,000 to 2,999 part range
There was no 4,000 part sets. There was a few 3,000 part sets […] You can see from the pie chart here, that only 25% of the models submitted in the 2,000 to 3,000 part range, and generally that’s where three of the models [finalists] will be from.
Aye, Pirate-themed designs have indeed succeeded with 4,000 parts, but…
Builders who insist upon exhausting the 4,000 maximum part limit, here’s some sterling advice to increase your prospects of being selected as a Finalist:
If you’re in that 3,300-3,400ish plus range, just know that’s “hard mode“, right. Typically, we will only have one, maybe two models […] in that range. Generally those are taking with the Medieval/Castle or Building themes […] know that you’re going to be competing with those categories […] if you’re not designing in one of those categories you might want to consider lowering the part count.
Finalist Eligibility Frequency
Some BrickLink designers have lamented frustration towards Finalistslucky enough to have multiple designs selected for Crowdfunding.
We want to make sure the program stays open to all designers in a sense, so you’re not just eliminated if you’re a past finalist […] but we also want to make sure we have room for new designers to participate as well.
Well fair enough, but the same designer was selected four times as a Finalist?
Current policy states designers may only be selected as Finalist once per calendar year, however, this resets at the start of the each year.
Finalist eligibility resets on New Years Day
Therefore, it is possible for the same designer to be selected as a Finalist in the lastSeries of the current year, and again in the firstSeries of the following year.
The BrickLink Designer Team may wish to tweak the rules further so designers cannot be selected as a Finalist over two consecutive series, lest the grumbling from the not-so lucky grows ever louder.
If yer using a phone the webinar is best viewed upon YouTube
But Wait… There’s More!
We’re barely breaking the surface – the Series 11 webinar is brimming with even more tips and tactical treasures to help yer conquer the BrickLink Designer Team’s review. So take some shore leave and WATCH IT!
To the rails, crew – for LEGO Pirates are stormin’ ahead in the program, and if we’re to maintain our mighty push, we’ve got to remain sharp, stay loud, and keep drivin’ the wind hard into our sails.
The fourth Pirate-themedBrickLink design be Series 8 finalist, Coconut Cape. Available for Crowdfunding/Pre-Orders commencing upon 9 June 2026 at 8 AM Pacific time.
The BrickLink Designer Team is polishing the final design set and minifigure lineup with its creator BallisticBricks, so we’re not expecting official images to make landfall until May at the earliest.
Could the Imperial Armada return?
Still… with its Spanish influence, we hope the tides may carry the Imperial Armada into a magnificent port of their very own.
Imagine starting yer LEGO Pirates collection in 2026…
How would yer attempt such a endeavour? Given there ain’t a single classic Pirate-themed set upon store shelves… or floating around the pages of LEGO.com.
The secondary market? Nay, vintage sets are now priced well beyond the grasp of many. BrickLink Designer sets? The same…
Classic LEGO Pirate sets are out of reach for many
At best, yer could raid Pick A Brick for what few pirate parts are on offer.
For many, this is the harsh reality of modern times. But, just imagine…
Play set includes Soldier fortress, Indigo island and Pirate raft
What if The LEGO Group officially released a “starter set” that plunged new fans into the depths of the LEGO Pirates theme by offering a variety of factions?
This set consists of 2,630 pieces and 10 minifigures.
It is designed as a playset but you can also use it as a display set. It is a set that tries to represent characteristics of pirate theme as much as possible.
You can separate it into two islands and play it like that if you want.
After years locked in bitter conflict with the Pirates, both the Soldiers and the Indigo Islanders had grown weary of the endless struggle. Within the walls of their mighty fortress, the admirals of imperial army swallowed their pride to admit what had become impossible to ignore…
A nice modernisation of the 6267 Lagoon Lock-up aesthetic
The Islanders, born of these shores, possessed a command of the archipelago’s twisting reefs and hidden channels far beyond anything the Soldiers could ever dream of matching.
Indigo Islanders demonstrate how to cross the hidden channel
So the admirals of the imperial army swallowed their pride and sought an audience with King Kahuka, the Indigo Islander’s sovereign whose word could sway the fate of the Brick Seas.
King Kahuka approaches the Soldier fortress on crocodile
Communication faltered initially, but the moment an admiral drew his blade and revealed the pirate’s hat claimed from a fallen foe, understanding flashed between them like lightning upon the horizon.
Indigo Islander stronghold adjacent the Soliders fort
The Islanders granted the Soldiers permission to raise a fortress beside one of King Kahuka’s own strongholds, and thus the first line of their new alliance rose to guard the great ocean.
AVAST! We’ve run aground!
Meanwhile, a high‑ranked pirate captain drove his beloved ship onto the rocks in a raging storm, and only two of his shipmates crawled from the wreck beside him.
Look out! Raft raiders are launching their assault!
This stubborn wanderer of the sea refused to yield, fashioning a raft from the shattered remains of his ship, while vowing to strike against the new alliance despite his battered, disadvantaged state.
Features
The interior is readily accessible thanks to its dollhouse-style rear, allowing convenient access to the admiral’s office and adjoining bedroom upon the upper level.
A dolls house-style back allows easy access
While the lower level houses the Soldier’s dormitory and galley… or be it an à la carte restaurant with alfresco dining on the peer?
Those cannons will make short work of that raft! 💥
The spacious battlements mount three cannons, ensuring the fortress stands ready against any marauding pirates.
Pirate Raft
The piratical component of the playset is an overt homage to the 1992 set, 6261 Raft Raiders, utilising a brick sail in favour of cloth.
The parts may be modernised, but the spirit of the original set is unmistakable: a raft riding upon barrel pontoons, a mast with ratlines leading up to the crow’s nest, and three three hardened buccaneers pirates clinging on for dear life.
6261 Raft Raiders released 1992
King Kahuka’s New Throne
The heart of the Indigo Islanders’ islet be an elevated throne, ringed by swaying palms and ancient moai standing guard.
The Imperial Armada also make a morbid cameo — or perhaps offer a glimpse of the fate awaiting the imprisoned pirate.
6262 King Kahuka’s Throne released 1994
Minifigures
The set offers 10 alive minifigures and one that didn’t fare so well.
3 Pirates
3 Indigo Islanders
3 Soldiers (blue coats)
1 Kitchen wench
1 Imperial Armada skeleton
About the Builder…
Brick_Wolf be a corsair of the mighty Ottoman Empire… well, in modern times he’s an AFOL based in Türkiye with an interest in Castle and Pirate builds.
Castle Theme Inn
Cargo Ship
Wolf King’s Castle
The bulk of his LEGO builds can be located upon LEGO Ideas, though he’s shared a modest barrel full of MOCs on Flickr as well.
Brick_Wolf hasn’t taken to the social media seas, but he’s been a steady hand aboard the LEGO Pirates Forum where be known as Wolf_King, should yer wish to engage with his highness directly.
Island of the Imperial Soldiers
Don’t miss our article covering Brick Wolf’s opening salvo in the realm of swashbuckling MOCs submitted to LEGO Ideas.
First support this creation on LEGO Ideas then join the Classic Pirates Facebook faction, (that’s our Facebook group) and tell the crew how you’d refine the playset for a truly unforgettable LEGOPirate experience.
Nonetheless, these fan‑forged creations have weathered the trials of BrickLink Designer Team’sReview and are bound for Crowdfunding (Pre-Orders) come February 2027.
The Finalist Designs
Since we’ve followed the Series 10 journey thus far, hoist yer lantern for a closer examination of the designs what succeeded…
BrickLink Designer Program series overlap! The palette for Series 11 was released March 3, while Open Submission occurs between 20 April and 4 May, 2026.
Boys and girls ages 8 and up can play out fun underwater stories with this LEGO® Creator 3 in 1 Fierce Shark with a Treasure Chest (31381) building toy. This impressive sea animal toy set offers kids 3 different building options with the same set of bricks.
An 8+ child giving the Fierce Shark a swoosh test
They can choose to build a posable shark toy that can be displayed on a stand with a treasure chest and crab. They can then rebuild it into an anglerfish on a stand with sea plants or a posable manta ray toy on a stand with a clamshell.
8+ child having playtime fun
Once the building and playtime fun is over, each model can be displayed as room decor on a shelf or desk. This LEGO Creator 3 in 1 set will inspire young imaginations and makes a great gift idea for kids who love sea animals.
8+ child using LEGO Builder App
And with the LEGO Builder app, they can also experience a building adventure. They can zoom in and rotate their sets using 3D building instructions, track their progress and save sets in one place. Please note models cannot be built simultaneously.
Aye, all three models can’t be built simultaneously… unless yer buy THREE sets!
Like Creator 31381, this set allows yer summon a shark with dancing crab, and angler fish, but instead of a manta ray, there be a mini kraken build… or a squid depending upon how yer imagination flows.
Sebastian and Bruce
7805 Creator Shark
The very first Creator shark washed up upon toy store shelves sometime during 2009 wrapped in a polybag.
The Creator shark has evolved over the years
A rather modest build, containing a 46 pieces that resulted in a model which could be confused with a tuna if yer squint ever so slightly. Unlike its modern Creator ancestors, no alternate builds are offered.
40045 Shark
This be more of an honourable mention as it ain’t a Creator set, nor was it released to retail. 40045 Shark was available exclusively to those who registered for the building session at the August 2012 MMMB event.
LEGO 40045 Shark
T’was available in a polybag offering a wee 27 pieces, resulting in a shark not far shy of a micro-build.
31109 Creator 3 in 1 Pirate Ship
The very first and now retired Creator LEGO Pirate Ship included a brick-built shark, which many a fan found insubstantial.
T’will be interesting to observe whether its successor, 31387 Legendary Pirate Ship follows suit and introduces a new shark variation. Or maybe the next brick beastie to breach Creator waters be one LEGO Pirates has never seen; like a whale or dolphin… or what about a lumbering manatee?
Of late, BrickLink Designer Program Manager, Alex Kastelic has been sending word that BDP prefers smaller builds containing less than 2,000 parts.
See, smaller designs can be desirable too
Many designers strive to create the largest and most impressive models possible… but alas! Some fans lack treasure hoards impressive enough to match the expense of purchasing such designs.
But don’t take the Classic Pirates word for it! Instead, pluck the words right out of the seahorse’s mouth (that’s Alex) in the Series 10: Q&A Webinar.
If yer a BrickLink members, yer may support the Series 11LEGO Pirate submissions. Your vote influences the designs selected bythe Brick Designer Team for Crowdfunding.
The BrickLink Designer Team thoroughly reviews the Series 11 submissions and determines which five designs shall progress to Crowdfunding (Pre-orders) phase.
5 Finalists Announced
20 Jun, 2026
The BrickLink Designer Team announces the five Series 11 designs that will be available for Crowdfunding.
In other words, the BrickLink Designer sets you will be able to buy!
Refinement
6 Jul, 2026 —
3 May, 2027
Over the coming months the official LEGOModel Governance and Building Instructions teams work with the finalist designers to prepare their builds for pre-production.
Unfortunately they do not work with graphic designers to prepare classic-style box art for the BrickLink Designer sets.
Crowdfunding
Jun 2027
The exciting part! If yer be a BrickLink member, yer may pre-order up-to 2BrickLink Pirate sets.
Designs that receive more than 3,000 pre-orders will enter production, with maximum of 30,000* of each set will be manufactured.
The refined BrickLink Designer sets will be produced in the official LEGO factory. Yer order will shall fulfilled around 6 months after the conclusion of Crowdfunding.
Final dates and shipping times may shift with the winds.
The four LEGO Pirate designs what have pass review
While Series 9 failed to secure a Pirate-themed finalist, at the time of publishing, four designs from past BrickLink Designer voyages have stood firm against the unyielding trials of the Designer Team’s review.
Coconut Cape Pre-Orders commence 1 June, 2026 at 8 AM Pacific time.
While the final design and minifigures are yet to be announced, the initial design alludes to a Spanish influence – could this be an opportunity for the Imperial Armada to return? Time will tell…
Open Submission for Series 11 is between 20 April and 4 May, 2026 — a mere ten days to submit yer design to the almighty BrickLink deities!
Buyers
So, Crowdfunded LEGO Pirate sets have been making landfall, but does the BrickLink Designer Program deliver satisfying building experiences that evoke the sets of yesteryear?
Or be they pale imitations of the glorious boxes that once lined store shelves?
And what riches await us in 2026? Will yer be ordering Coconut Cape? Or hoping a Series 10 design is offered for Crowdfunding?
The pirate ship pictured is a knock-off brand product that’s currently available on the secondary market.
The Latest Rumour
So let’s plot a course over to the Reddit post by medicus_vulneratum.
Nay, that definitely aint the ship what’s being released
The Origin
What inspired medicus_vulneratum to suddenly post about the alleged LEGO Creator Pirate ship be unknown, but fellow Reddit user, _System_Error_ quickly retrieved the source of the original rumour.
LEGO fans be ever hopeful for new LEGO Pirate ships, so whether there be truth to a rumour, or not, they take to the social media seas as though it were actual news.
The pirate ship pictured in the Reddit post is being currently being manufactured and released under various brand names like HOGOKIDS, ZHEGAO and Nimpark.
Box of ZHEGAO Pirate Ship Mini Building Blocks Model Kit
The set can be found on eBay, Amazon, AliExpress and a variety of independent online merchants.
Cast yer eyes upon them set pictures and yer’ll spy not a single minifig lurkin’ anywhere! Well, if that ain’t a signal this particular tale be smellin’ fishy!
A replacement for the recently decommissioned 31109 Creator 3-in-1 Pirate Ship is rumoured for release during June 2026. Currently known as, 31387 Legendary Pirate Ship, it is speculated to contain 1,074 pieces, with some fans suggesting it will be a re-colour of the first Creator Pirate Ship, despite the lower piece count.
Are you excited for a newLEGO Creator Pirate Ship? Or do you think it’s time for something different like a Soldier or Imperial Guard or Privateer ship?
Can The LEGO Group do better than Nimpark?
BUT, be there any truth AT ALL to this rumour? Or are hopeful fans merely speculating, derived from production ceasing for the first Creator Pirate Ship?
