During May 2021, The LEGO Group held an official contest named, “Do You Want To Go to the Seaside?” with the intent of producing the winning entry as a Gift with Purchase set.

With no help whatsoever, from the LEGO Pirates Forum and Classic Pirates, Ray the Castaway submitted by the DadTwins won and the set has been officially announced for release on the on LEGO Ideas blog.

Ray the Castaway will be available from October 1^st until October 13^th, 2022, while stocks last, for qualifying purchases at $120 / €120 / £120 and above. Please visit LEGO.com for complete details of the promotion, from October 1^st, 2022.

The set contains 239 pieces and is strictly reserved for people aged 18 and older – oh come on, why even bother putting an age on the box?

The back of the box – remember the good old days when we got alternate builds on the back?

What if we added a cannon to this?

From the LEGO Ideas Blog

We’re delighted to reveal the latest LEGO® Ideas Gift with Purchase set 40566 Ray the Castaway, which hails from our “Do you want to go to the seaside?” contest back in 2021.

Escape the everyday and join Ray the Castaway on a brick-built desert island with this LEGO® Ideas set (40566). Build palm trees, a shelter and a raft, and bring the scene to life with the Ray minifigure, plus parrot, crab and 2 fish figures. This competition-winning model was created by LEGO fan designers and makes a delightful gift for adults or any LEGO enthusiast.

With 969 votes, almost double that of second place, the set designed by DadiTwins (aka. David and Diego Escalona), won the contest’s Fan Vote to secure it being turned into an official Gift with Purchase set.

This Gift with Purchase will be available from the 1st of October until the 13th of October, 2022, as long as stocks last, for qualifying purchases at $120 / €120 / £120 and above. For full details of the promotion, please visit LEGO.com from the 1st of October, 2022.

Congratulations to David and Diego! Please help us in congratulating them in the comments.

Are Yer Excited for Ray the Cast Away?

Some eagle-eyed LEGO Pirate fans have observed there is a very modern looking flotation device included with the set, suggesting old Ray is not actually a castaway from the days of yore.  Or perhaps that piece is actually a priceless artifact Ray managed to cling onto while he abandoned his sinking vessel – the circular trinket is goldish in colour, after all, but it’s easy enough to exclude if it looks too modern for your piratical tastes.

SOS – modern flotation device or ancient treasure?

Also, some disappointment was expressed when it was discovered the seagull present in the contest submission had been replaced with a parrot. It could be argued that a parrot affords the set greater relevance to the LEGO Pirates theme, as parrots have been a quintessential element of the theme since the beginning. On the other hand, seagulls are rarer because they’ve been available in fewer sets, and have yet to make their official debut within a pirate themed set.

6259 Smugglers Shanty vs 40566 Ray the Castaway

That aside, the official Ray the Castaway set includes a variety of elements useful to the LEGO Pirates theme; these include include palm leaves, a parrot, treasure chest, crab, bottle and a variety of pieces to construct makeshift accommodation from flotsam on a deserted island.  It’s almost a modern update of 6259 Smugglers Shanty / Palm Hideout, although we’ll have to deduct points for lack of inclusion of a second pirate minifig and an Imperial Guard patrolling in a row boat.

Here’s how Ray evolved

The Ray minifigure doesn’t contain any elements we haven’t seen before; the blue-striped torso first emerged in 21322 Pirates of Barracuda Bay and the scruffy beard piece has already been done with the Castaway form Minifigure series 21, albeit in a darker shade of brown.

Here is a side by side comparison of the DadiTwin’s contest entry VS officially released set

So how did the official set turn out in comparison to the original contest entry? Aside from a few part changes, and a few colour swaps here and there, the build is quite faithful to the original concept.

Some have lamented the set is too simple and would prefer a more substantial structure. Nor does it contain any unique, or even rare elements. However, we must consider Ray the Castaway isn’t intended for retail, and has limited availability as a free bonus with an online purchase.  So this may be an influencing factor in why the LEGO Ideas Team chose to release more simplistic build.

Nonetheless, Ray won the Do You Want To Go to the Seaside? contest with more than double the votes of the second place entry, and there has been considerable fan praise for the desert island’s charm.  It certainly includes far more accessories than the classic set 6259 Smugglers Shanty and successfully updates the “palm shack concept” consistently with the design aesthetic of 21322 Pirates of Barracuda Bay.

What Do Ye Think?

Will you be rescuing Ray from his seaside seclusion? Or do you only accept more competent seaman into your crew – yer know, the type what don’t get castaway in the first place? Are yer happy with how the official set turned out?  Or do you prefer the original contest entry? What would you have liked to see done differently?

Now off to the LEGO Pirates Forum with yer!

First yer can observe the DadiTwin’s original submission before joining the discussion on how yer think the official set turned out – and most importantly, whether yer gonna attempt to snag a copy… well are ye?

LEGO Korea (@legokorea_official) on Instagram has sighted the upcoming Adventure Ride Series which will be made available as a gift with purchase sets.

As part of their Bricktober 2022 celebrations these nifty little sets resemble coin-operated kiddie rides, with one based on each of classic LEGO themes Pirates, Castle, Space and… ummm… Town… with a Western and Friends influence…  whatever!  We only care about the Pirate themed set!

What Does This Set Have to Offer?

Let’s evaluate the set for the parts it offers…

The ship is quite small but its adequate for what it represents, certainly not an abstract discombobulation of colourful pieces which merely resembles a ship, like the Vidiyo set.

The sail is brick-built with the typical red and white stripes common among LEGO Pirate ships.  It’s rather small but you could always build it into something more substantial should you decide to customise the set away from it’s children’s ride origin.

There are two printed pieces unique to the LEGO Pirates theme; the flag and bicorne, both baring recent square-headed, “minifig-esque” version of the Jolly Roger.

The minifigure itself offers the all time classic minifig head, simply comprised of a curve for a smile and two dots for eyes – no modern pupils here!  While reusing the torso which first became available in 21322 Pirates of Barracuda Bay, with the Jack ‘Dark Shark’ Doubloons and Starboard Broadside minifigs.

The other notable pieces include the telescope and sextant which emerged circa 2009. No treasure as such, but there is some gold lattice and tiles, plus there’s a golden rooster which first appeared in the “40515 Pirates and Treasure” VIP Value Pack, released September 2022.

Beyond that, there is perhaps some useful Technic pieces which enable the ship rocking functionality, and a title printed with the LEGO logo if that kind of thing excites you. The Imperial Guards probably won’t feel compelled to put a stop to this benevolent scourge of the shopping mall any time soon!

A golden cock perched atop the stern

Presumably you twist the nob and the ship rocked up and down…

Here is the complete Bricktober 2022 Adventure Ride set lineup.

When are they Available?

This promotion is due to launch 29 September 2022 in South Korea, but is yet known whether these sets will be available to the rest of the world.

The release schedule is:

• Space – 29th Sept to 5th October
• Pirates – 6th October to 12th October
• Wild West – 13th October to 19th October
• Castle – 20th October to 26th October

Looks much better without that base – now to get rid of that steering wheel

What purpose do those two clips on the back serve?

According to Brickfinder.net

Bricktobers are generally distributed through Toys ‘R’ Us but as some of us had experienced in Singapore that it was a joint collaboration last year with the local LEGO Certified Stores (LCS).

It is redeemable for ₩100,000 which is approximately SGD$100 but from past promotions, the redemption amount was pegged at $SGD80 so we might see and increase for the year 2022.

Information is still a bit scarce at the moment so do check with your local Toys ‘R’ Us / LCS before heading down. Will update once more information is available.

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Promotion and Packaging

Here is the Korean Promotional Poster – will we seen an English version?

Here is the minifigure from each set – slightly different to those seen the poster

In Korea each set will come in a decorative box

But whether international buyers will be able to get them all at once remains to be seen

The presentation does look rather nice… as though it is intended for collectors

Glorious presentation!

What Do Yer Think?

Is this pirate themed Adventure Ride worthy of your LEGO Pirate collection?  Or is it straying too far into uncharted waters?  Or do you have more information to share, particularly when/whether these sets will be available outside of South Korea?

Share your thoughts and findings with Classic Pirates in the LEGO Pirates Forum!

LEGO Soldier and Imperial fortresses are extremely popular. In recent times, three such MOCs we shared via the Classic Pirates Instagram received more than 3,000 likes, and another four blue coat Soldier LEGO Ideas submissions reached 10K supporters.

So it’s about time someone built another one and The Inventor has done just that!

Behold this mighty fortress – it has a tower enabling the soldiers to see enemies miles away!  There’s also a dock to allow easy access for suppliers and recreational fishing.

Welcome to Fort de Monchy

The Inventor writes:

A bluecoat fort named “de Monchy”. Thanks for looking and let me know what you think.

Short and sweet, huh?

The great banana heist! Because them bananas are priceless!

As you can see this fortress is not without its fair share of monkeys and parrots

Ahhhh… the tower. Good to see the lookout is alert and wide awake at his job!

What are those pesky pirates up to? Fortress invasion? Surely not!

In the tradition of Eldorado Fortress we have another mighty fine blue coat Soldier fort with a dock at the front

About the Builder…

The Inventor has been kicking around Eurobricks for some time now, but he hasn’t shared all that many LEGO Pirate themed MOCs, so Fort de Monchy certainly comes as a pleasant surprise!

If you’re eager to see more of his work, check out his Flickr account, a lot of Space/Mechs, a little Castle and little more Pirates are available to immerse yourself in.

Once that’s done, set a source for the LEGO Pirates Forum so you can discuss this awesome fortress with The Inventor!

Dreamweb, a legendary ship builder long affiliated with the LEGO Pirates Forum has sailed back into view with a new vessel, named “Hippocampus“.

Aside from custom sails, the its most striking feature is the utilisation of the hull piece from DUPLO Pirate set 7881 Ghost Ship.

If you’ve been following the escapades of the Classic Pirates, you may be aware of EvanCelt incorporating DUPLO into the foundations of his Imperial MOCs. Now, Dreamweb applies a similar concept to ship building…

Dreamweb writes:

Hello there.

For quite some time, I’ve been planning to build a ship which uses one of the Duplo hulls. So when I got the chance to buy the hull from the set 7881 at a really good price, I hesitated no more and finally started to fulfil my plans. The result is here, and it’s called the Hippocampus. By the way, it’s also on Instagram so feel free to follow me there, too!

I must admit, this hull is a weird thing to work with. It has nice curves and an overall great shape, and the colours are really good. Unfortunately, those curves also mean it’s pretty incompatible with the shapes of most standard “System” bricks. Therefore, I had to use a lot of weird angles to pull this one off. Still, not everything fits perfectly, there are some gaps here and there, but overall I am pretty satisfied with the final result.

She certainly has a wide rear!

Dreamweb continues…

She sure has a wide rear-end! Nonetheless, it was a real challenge to try to make all of this fit together, and while I am tempted by the vision of using the even bigger Duplo hull which is also available (the set 7880), I don’t think I’m ready to live through all this stress again.

Plus, 7880 has a much less realistic hull. So yeah, it’s definitely time to give Duplo a rest for now. Anyway, as hard as it was to use it, I really like the bulky shape of this hull. Combined with standard minifigs, it really gives you an impression of a robust, durable vessel and a worthy adversary in a sea battle. Which is kind of ironic, considering that the techniques used to attach System bricks to Duplo make it rather fragile.

And there’s the hippo at the front!  You did know “hippo” is Latin for “horse”, right?

The wider hull allows plenty of space for cannons – BIG BADA BOOOOOOOM!

Governor Hacienda is on a noble mission to rid the seas of… the Imperial Armada!

The captain’s cabin is accessible by removing the roof. In here, you can observe the ship uses a total of three DUPLO bricks. The first and second constitute the hull, while the third is the captain’s vanity mirror.

Hacienda needs that big mirror to ensure his plume remains straight at all times!

There are also two hatches in the forecastle, in the photo below, you’ll observe one of them is opened. Despite the capacity to store minifigures and cargo within, it actually conceals the structure which joins the ship’s bow together.

A convenient place to store treasure seized from pesky pirates

Now, here’s a photo with the lower hatch opened, revealing a ladder that leads to the lower deck. What’s on that deck? Dreamweb didn’t bother to build it so we’ll never know.

Better put the rum in the hold before the Admiral sees it!

Dreamweb concludes:

And that’s pretty much the whole ship. Once again, it was fun to build, but also really, really cumbersome. This Duplo hull really isn’t the friendliest piece to work with. And I can’t even begin to guess how many times the bow or the stern fell apart during the whole endeavour. But I think it was worth the effort!

That’s all, I’m really interested in your comments about this rather unusual design.

Origin of the Hull

7881 Ghost Ship is a DUPLO Pirates set released in 2006. It contains 33 piece pirate ship and includes two DUPLO pirate figures plus the hull used to build Hippocampus. The ship utilises a barrel for a crow’s nest and Dizzy’s head mould for the cannon ports. Dizzy being the cement mixer character from Bob the Builder which also had DUPLO sets at one point.

Apparently it’s a ghost ship because the sail glows, not because the set contains ghosts

Beware the ghostly glow of the Jolly Roger!

This ghostly ship haunts the Seven Seas in search of spooky fun and pirate adventure! Help the Captain and his First Mate load the child-safe launching cannon, lower the anchor, or keep watch from the crow’s nest above the sail.

• Ship can float or roll!
• Sail and decorations really glow in the dark!

About the Builder…

Dreamweb when he was younger… nay, just kidding! This is actually a promotional image.

Dreamweb has been contributing stunning ship builds to the LEGO Pirates Forum for many a year. You can find galleries of his past work on Brickshelf and his Instagram account is prospering with updates of his newer creations. He’s also the sole creator of the ongoing webcomic series, “Kings And Queens Of The Sea” which was founded back in 2008.

So once you’ve familarised yourself with Dreamweb’s talents, set a course to the LEGO Pirates forum so can discuss with the Hippocampus with the man himself!

The winner has been announced!

Continuing from our previous blog post, the LEGO^® Ideas Team has undergone their Expert Review and reached a decision.

It’s official!

Congratulations to Levi CJ Mason for his submission “Cut Throat Falls Outpost“

After reviewing more than 400 entries LEGO^® Ideas Team has selected this sprawling pirate harbour situated beneath a skull mountain with a lovely water feature.

Visit the LEGO Ideas website and the project submission webpage for the complete details.

What did the lucky sod win?

Levi is a lucky lad and scored all this booty:

And superb work to those who entered but didn’t win anything!

The complete prize breakdown be:

• 11021 LEGO Classic 90 Years of Play
• 40567 LEGO Forest Hideout (Gift with Purchase)
• 30510 LEGO 90 Years of Cars
• 10305 LEGO Icons Lion Knights’ Castle
• 10497 LEGO Icons Galaxy Explorer

Nary a pirate set among them… but The LEGO Group hasn’t released any new pirate sets lately… so they must be waiting for the fourth quarter of this year.

I’ve been marooned and have no idea what this about!

The LEGO Group is celebrating their 90th Anniversary this year so they’ve been holding a series of contests to celebrate.

Look at all those contests you could have entered… or maybe you did?

They’ve held contests for various classic themes including Castle, Space and Bionicle, but being LEGO Pirate fans, we’re only covering the Pirate Contest.

You can access all the 90th Anniversary contests on the official contests webpage.

And, if you haven’t been reading the Classic-Pirates.com blog you’d do well to follow our Instagram or join our Facebook Group (or both) to keep up with the latest news.

Levi writes:

“When the ship the Leviathan crashed into the side of a mountain that looked suspiciously like a skull, Captain CJ Mason and his pirate crew found themselves a new home where a secret treasure awaits to be found.”

Here be the island – and it’s loaded with details!

The build weaves in homages from various LEGO Pirate sets.
Skull Harbour… Pirates Perilous Pitfall… Pirates of Barracuda Bay… Forbidden Island…

And from above it’s an eclectic assortment of all kinds of piratey things – there’s even a kraken bursting out of the shipwreck!

And here’s the treasure chamber… it’s got Aqua de Vida… the Trident of Poseidon… even Excalibur!

And there you have it!

About the Builder…

We’re loyal followers of @levicjmason on Instagram and you should be too! There you will discover a variety of pirate creations interspersed with builds from a plethora of themes.

Once you’re up to speed on Levi’s talents, sail over to the LEGO Pirates Forum and congratulate him!  What do you think of “Cut Throat Falls Outpost”?  Did the LEGO Ideas Review Team make the right choice?  Or are there other submissions you believe should have taken the top prize?

There be a contest on LEGO^® Ideas for the LEGO^® Group’s 90th Anniversary, named “Pirate Theme Celebrations“.

They must be seeking ideas for a 90th Anniversary LEGO Pirate set to release in the fourth quarter of 2022, just in time for Christmas!

Just kidding! (or are we?) This is what yer need to know:

• Ideas Intake from July 14 until July 28, 2022
• Expert Review on August 4
• Winner Announcement on August 10

Visit the LEGO Ideas website for the complete details.

From the LEGO^® Ideas Website

Yarrr, be ye’ Pirates Theme lovers? Our fourth contest be, to celebrate the best of the Pirates theme for ‘arrr 90th Birthday celebrations! The Captain is looking for your favourite Pirate-themed creation!

Okay maybe not the captain, but LEGO Ideas is!

Your submissions can be recreations of past pirate-themed LEGO sets (but not copies) or your own new creations based on pirates and could even be mashups with other themes (space pirates anyone?). They must be new creations built for this contest and may not contain any intellectual properties or references to them (i.e. Pirates of the Caribbean).

Photo aspect ratio

Please note that all contests in the future will require images to be submitted in a 1:1 square format.

ENTRY DEADLINE: Submit your entry no later than July 28th 2022 at 6:00 a.m. EST.  If you’re not sure what time zone you’re in, here’s a time zone converter.

• How it Works 
• Contest Rules 
• Prizes 
• Frequently Asked Questions

Be sure to read the full brief for the complete details.

What’s in it for Me?

Here’s something to sweeten the deal and make it worth yer time:

If yer entry don’t get rejected this could be yours!

If yer the grand prize winner here be the booty yer’ll receive:

• 11021 LEGO Classic 90 Years of Play
• 10305 LEGO Icons Lion Knights’ Castle
• 10497 LEGO Icons Galaxy Explorer
• 40567 LEGO Forest Hideout (Gift with Purchase)
• 30510 LEGO 90 Years of Cars

No pirate sets… and it might be nice if they divvied those prizes among 5 different entrants, but try yer luck anyway!

Some Highlights

You can review all the entries on the LEGO Ideas website, but here be some highlights:

“Black Seas Barracuda Sets Sail for Its Next Adventure” by Krackenator4

Heavily Inspired by the classic 1989 set, 6285 Black Seas Barracuda

I tried my best to make it accurate to 18th century pirate ship might look like while also incorporating the classic Lego pirate ship look and I am really happy with the result. The ship’s forepeak and figure head was a challenge but I believe looks true to a real galleon of the time. And because there are no sails on stud.io, I had to design brick built sails and think they turned out great. The deck has a row boat, general supplies and barrels, and a bell. I hope y’all like it!

View Entry webpage

“The Home of Peg Legged-Bill” by Mind the Brick

Meet Peg Legged-Bill – he’s built a very tidy home out of his old ship after he retired

The 90 year old Pirate has retired to his beloved islet.
In his early piracy days, he had spotted this tinny island on the Caribbean
and had then decided, that he would move there when he would get old.
He build his home from pieces of a battered shipwreck he found nearby.
The keel, which remained almost intact, became the main building of his home
the rest was assembled from wood scrap that he found scattered on the islet.

View Entry webpage

“The Imperial Port City” by Joaquin10

Move aside 6272 Imperial Trading Post, the blue coat Soldiers have their own trading facility. Governor Broadside oversees operations.

This is The Imperial Port City, the crown jewel in the blue coats’ empire. Around the docks fishermen are getting their catch of the day. In the streets you can hear music and buy, uhhh, a glass of water. In his ocean facing apartment a man looks down at the happening on the street. In the fortress a Lieutenant drills his men so they’re always in fighting condition. And above it all the aged governor surveys, making sure everything is at peace in his city.

View Entry webpage

“HMS Resolute: Imperial Navy Frigate” by British Soldier Bob

The blue coat Soldiers need a vessel to compete with 10210 Imperial Flagship – here it is!

Step aboard the 12-gun flagship of the imperial navy and the pride of the commodore’s fleet! This three masted frigate features not only a faithful reproduction of actual 18th century sailing ships, but also boasts a fully furnished deck ready for action! Use the crane to lower supplies to the cargo hold and prepare the cannons for action! A small island is also included to pay homage to the most often overlooked aspect of the pirate theme; the islanders!

View Entry webpage

“Eldorado Fortress” by Legoguy426

An update to an old classic!

When thinking of what to make for this contest I knew I wanted to recreate an old set but I didn’t know which one. LEGO had already made a new version of the Black Seas Barracuda so I decided to make the next best set from that time the Eldorado Fortress.

View Entry webpage

“The Return of the Skull’s Eye Schooner, 90th Anniversary of Lego” by Phoenix Bricks

Now this could be awesome with sails and rigging!

Many of you must remember the 1993 lego set: The Skull’s Eye Schooner.
With the release of the new Pirates of Barracuda bay a couple of years ago, I thought I would remake the Skull’s Eye Schooner.
With 12 cannons, 2 decks and 3 masts, it is ready to set sail for another 90 years of Lego…

View Entry webpage

“Ahoy!! Hurry Up Pirates!!” by Zeke_Bricks86

It’s like this place was designed for smuggling

The Captain and his crew are acting quickly, before the Royal Guard captures them!!

Orca Brig Boat V1 By benyp88

This is an interesting concept – a fitting vessel to journey to World’s End

It’s a North Sea pirate with a brig powered by a killer whale.

It’s a modified version of my frigate in Brig

“Escape the Kraken!” by RobLegoBrick

The quintessential kraken with 8 arms – more like an octoessential kraken (see what we did there)

The Kraken is a quintessential pirate theme!

I’ve tried to capture the moment when the sea monster bursts forth from the ocean and grabs the unwary ship. Is the Captain good enough to escape it’s grasp? Are the crew strong enough to sail out of the whirlpool?

The ‘disc’ of the model has hidden wheels underneath, on the outer edge. The central ‘beak’ of the Kraken sits on a flat plate on the ground. This allows the disc to spin around the centre.

View Entry webpage

Captain’s Parrot by AIStrange

Pirate’s best friend!

SQUAWK! This parrot lives in the captain’s cabin, and knows him better than any other member of the crew. He’s probably seen more treasure maps, more plunder, and more people walk the plank than any landlubbing bird will see in their entire lives.

Perched on his trusty stand, the captain’s parrot sees everything that happens on the ship, whether it’s meant for his eyes or not. SQUAWK!

View Entry webpage

Let’s Discuss!

Submit yer entry or take a gander at the other entries.  Once you’ve done that, sail by the LEGO Pirates Forum and tell us what you think!

Have you entered?  Are there any entries that catch yer eye?  What do you think of the prizes? What do you think of the entry conditions?

Have a yarn about this contest and LEGO’s 90 anniversary with the Classic Pirates!

Over the years legendary ship builders by the likes of Dreamweb, Sebeus I and Elephant Knight have moored at the LEGO Pirates Forum to share their latest creations. But not all builders are forum bound, MOC Your Bricks, another master of the sail, has berthed the bulk of his vessel oeuvre through his YouTube channel and Facebook Page.

So we are fortunate to have stumbled upon photos of “The Skull Brother” on Pintrest, one of his earliest creations….

MOC Your Bricks writes:

“It is my first serious LEGO MOC pirate ship, ‘The Skull Brother’ pirate ship was made from 3 set of LEGO 70413 The Brick Bounty except all custom sails and string. The design base on the original LEGO set and extend to be larger and add more details on it. The ship has 4 LEGO cannons but the design can carry up to 14. 8 on lower deck and 6 on upper deck. There are now 4 crews, Captain, First mate, Cooker and pirate boy.“

Not at bad effort for an early attempt at ship building!

Putting the “skull” in “Skull Brother”, this figurehead is actually a former crew member who got stuck there…

In an uncommon practice, there’s also a figurehead on the stern. Guess another crew member didn’t quite make it!

Ahoy! He be drinking on deck… he looks important!

That skeleton may become unnerving for those who dare tailgate this ship!

For your convenience, you’ll find the armoury and escape craft in the centre of the deck

And there’s the capstan to make the anchor weighing that much easier

Here be the gun deck with those 4 cannons… due to budget restraints they couldn’t afford cannons for the other side.

Here’s a view of the main deck from the helm

Below the helm is the cabin’s cabin, let’s take a look inside…

And by “look inside” we mean remove the roof completely…

Up on the helm Captain Redbeard is demonstrating the irresponsible consumption of rum

Nay, Roger doesn’t have a care in the world, not even for approaching Imperial Guards.

The helmsman ensures the ship stays on course – even if the captain is not!

Say, should there be more crew on this ship?

Wait! There’s a scout in the crows nest!

And here’s a jolly lad in the crows nest on the lookout for hostile vessels

And there you have it folks – MOC Your Bricks first major ship build!

About the Builder…

MOC Your Bricks (Saran Mahatthanawongwarn) is an all time great LEGO Pirate ship builder! He posts frequent updates to his Facebook Page. Occasionally, you you may spy a glimpse of a new creation through his Instagram, and once upon a time, he shared builds on Flickr… but no more…

But it’s his YouTube channel where all the magic happens! There you will find dozens of speed build videos, in which you will see his creations assembled right before your very eyes! Also make a stop at his website, www.mocyourbricks.com where building instructions for many of his fine vessels can be acquired.

And after you’ve overloaded yourself with great content from MOC Your Bricks, discuss The Skull Brother in the LEGO Pirates Forum!

Grab yer kiddies and set a course to the LEGOLAND® Discovery Centre in Birmingham for a swashbuckling LEGO Pirates party! They insist you jump onboard, or yer’ll be made to walk the plank!

The pirates will be in port from 9th July until 4th September 2022 with tickets costing from £22.95, and this be included with yer Discovery Centre admission.

Maybe this is yer chance to meet Captain Redbeard, Lady Anchor and Robin Loot in the flesh!

LEGOLAND® Discovery Centre website states:

Go on a swashbuckling adventure at the LEGOLAND Discovery Centre this summer.

• Explore MINILAND which has been taken over by pirates – spot the ships and find your favourite pirates.
• Meet a LEGO Pirate! This is the perfect photo opportunity.
• Why not upgrade your ticket and build a perfect pirate parrot in our creative workshop?
• Join our Pirate Camp where you can learn how to be an awesome pirate!
• Collect the 6 trading cards in the centre – don’t leave without all of them, you’ll have to walk the plank!
• Build your best pirate ships and animals with our incredible selection of LEGO!
• Why not dress up as an aaaarghsome pirate?

Don’t be a scallywag, jump onboard this summer!

Plus, as part of the entry into the LEGO Pirates event, guests can go on to enjoy everything else within the LEGOLAND Discovery Centre including two awesome rides, loads of LEGO play zones, Duplo soft play and much much more.

DUPLO soft play – it’s suitable for EvanCelt then!

How Do I Book Tickets?

Go to the official Pirate Party webpage, scroll down and click the big red Book Now button. There be two of them – take yer pick!

The kiddies absolutely love it!

They Have Adult Events Too

Well, we all know LEGO Pirates isn’t really for children anymore (just jokes!)

This is for a past event – Captain Redbeard is so drunk he’s about to slip over!

The Adult Night has a somewhat different description:

Would ye be Interested in Intending?

T’would be fantastic if someone went along and took a bunch of photos… and a few videos… (if they allow it) and then shared them in the LEGO Pirates Forum or the Classic Pirates Facebook Group.

And what do they mean by “Build your best pirate ships and animals with our incredible selection of LEGO“? Does this mean there’ll be FREE Pirate LEGO for you to steal MOC until yer little heart’s content?

Or what about “Collect the 6 trading cards in the centre“?  What trading cards be these? Are they LEGO Pirate trading cards? “Explore MINILAND which has been taken over by pirates” – what’s this MINILAND? Have they piratized it?

So many questions remained unanswered! Which brave souls dare find out?

It’s Time For a Chat!

Does finding the answers to the above questions excite you? Have you ever been to a LEGOLAND Discovery Centre? What about one of their pirate events whether it be intended for kiddies or adults? Are you able to visit the Birmingham centre while the pirates are there?

Visit the LEGO Pirates Forum and share your ponders or past experiences with us! Or even your plans… if ye be making any to attend this joyous event!

LEGO® Minifigures Series 23 (71034) brings us a new array of minifigures and from this selection the “Nutcracker” might be a suitable inclusion to your Imperial Guard or red coat army.

Inspired by the 1916 story “The Nutcracker and the Mouse King” by Prussian author E. T. A. Hoffmann, the premise revolves around a girl’s favourite toy; a solider known as the “Nutcracker”, who magically comes alive to defeat the evil Mouse King and transports her to an enchanted kingdom populated by dolls.

While the source material may be somewhat removed from the Pirates of the Caribbean setting which LEGO Pirates draws it’s influence, the minifigure still offers a variety of elements relevant to the theme.

• Shacko
• Torso
• Epaulettes
• Legs
• Sword
• And head – if your soldier has rosy cheeks from drinking too much grog

But you may want to give him a haircut and exchange that walnut for a musket with a stock made from walnut timber.

Is this minfig an army builder? Or maybe just a higher ranking officer? Or is he not worthy of your army at all? Tell us in the LEGO Pirates Forum…

Official Statement

Here’s the complete line-up.
They’re all happy and smiling so why wouldn’t you want to collect them all?

The official LEGO Minifigure Series 23 webpage* states:

Delight a child or Minifigures fan with these LEGO® Minifigures Series 23 (71034) blind bags for ages 5+. This unique series features a great lineup of fun characters to collect and display or to take independent or group play in unexpected new directions.

Inspiring collection of fun LEGO Minifigures
Children and adult fans get to say “Hi!” to a limited-edition range of imaginative characters, including Nutcracker, Sugar Fairy, Green Dragon Costume, Snowman, Reindeer Costume, Holiday Elf, Turkey Costume, Cardboard Robot, Popcorn Costume, Wolf Costume, Ferry Captain and Knight of the Yellow Castle.

Surprise!
Each finely crafted, highly detailed LEGO minifigure comes in a sealed ‘mystery’ bag and includes a collector’s information leaflet, making a great little gift that will put a smile on anyone’s face.

When Can I Buy It?

Remember these are blind bagged so this is the packaging you need to look out for

Minifigures Series 23 will be available on LEGO.com* from September 1, 2022.

* This is an official affiliate link provided by Rakuten Advertising.

But this is NOT an Imperial Minifig!!!

The Classic Pirates have deceived me!  ARRRRRRGH!!!

Wait, no they haven’t!

“Imperial” is defined as something relating to an empire. During the period in which “The Nutcracker and the Mouse King” was set, Russia did very much have an empire. To be precise, this empire lasted from November 2, 1721, when the Russian Senate conferred the title of “Emperor of all the Russias” upon Peter I, until the abdication of Nicholas II on March 15, 1917. Like most empires,  it fluctuated in size, but at the time of the Nutcracker, the Russian Empire spanned Poland, Finland and a good chunk of Transcaucasia (a region on the border of Eastern Europe and Western Asia).

Oh look! It’s a depiction of Russian Emperor, Nicholas II and his Imperial Russian forces at the time of the Napoleonic Wars

So the Nutcracker is absolutely an Imperial minifigure, but no, the Nutcracker is not intended to be an outright representation of an Imperial Guard.

The “Imperial Guards” being a fictional army invented by The LEGO Group and debuting as a sub theme of LEGO Pirates in 1992. Presumably they were inspired by the British Empire’s iconic red coat army uniform which had a considerable presence throughout the Caribbean and during the Age of Sail, the historic time period from which LEGO Pirates draws the most influence.

Despite this popularity, red coat soldier uniforms are not exclusive to the British Empire and have been used by various nations throughout the past few hundred years.

Nonetheless, the Classic Pirates have brought the Nutcracker minifigure to your attention because it includes elements relevant to Imperial Guard MOCers and army builders. With very little modification, the Nutcracker can be repurposed as an Imperial Guard or an entirely new Imperial-inspired faction.

And that’s the great thing about LEGO – it’s a medium intended to have its parts swapped and/or combined so the builder can create whatever they like, irrespective of whether the resulting creation was the intended design of the official set or minifigure.

What Do You Think?

Is this soldier worthy to serve in Admiral Woodhouse’s army? You decide…

Have you gone absolutely nutty for the Nutcracker? Do you think the nut has gone rotten in the shell? Or will he put a smile on your face in pure delight?

You be the judge!  Share your thoughts on this new minifigure with the Classic Pirates in LEGO Pirates Forum.

The Pirates of Barracuda Bay was a ground breaking set for the LEGO Pirate universe. Not only was it a shipwreck island which transformed into a remake of the 6285 Black Seas Barracuda, but it updated the Pirate theme with a gorgeous new design aesthetic. Some builder’s applied this new aesthetic to remake classic sets, while others applied it to their original creations.

As plague swept the earth during 2020, Astral Bricks used his time in confinement very productively. He felt once the ship was constructed, the remaining parts of Barracuda Bay were too insubstantial, so he added to them… quite a bit! In fact, he made some upgrades so significant, his MOC no longer resembles the original set – in a good way!

So let us take a look at what can be achieved with a few extra parts and a bit of imagination.

A cutting-edge rum delivery system – because walking next door is not convenient

The pirates have taken over a Caribbean sea fort
Who’s construction next to Barracuda Bay somehow went unnoticed

Next door is a spooky island hideout, complete with a crystal cave.

Security guards the dock with cutlass and oar

Astral Bricks writes:

Gave my LEGO pirates a custom upgrade.
Uses the base and key elements of Pirates of Barracuda Bay.
The original set locks away the ship’s interior, so I moved some of those details to my build as well.

After refurbishment, the new Jose’s Inn is a classic combination of bar, and grill.

Multiple lookouts and telescopes help the pirates keep an eye on things…
Yer know, in case the Soldiers decide to reclaim their fort

Astral Bricks writes:

The original Barracuda Bay set feels empty when the ship is assembled, so I upgraded my crew’s living quarters. Includes a spooky island, innovative rum delivery system, bar and grill.
Thanks to @mevitsbricks for supplying the extra parts!

Some of the pirates prefer the simpler life – although, Tattooga has always been a bit fishy

Completely unrecognisable to the original build… and that’s a good thing!
Not that the original was bad

About the Builder…

The Classic Pirates have no knowledge of Astral Bricks (Jordan DeVries) ever visiting the LEGO Pirates Forum. His MOC was stumbled upon using Google Image search, impressed by what he’d built, we created a topic in the forum on his behalf.

He does appear to be quite prolific builder who posts his creations to Imgur and Instagram so be sure to check those out, particularly if you’re interested in Star Wars and scifi builds.

But if you’d prefer to to say in the realm of LEGO Pirates, come and discuss his Barracuda Bay upgrade in the LEGO Pirates Forum.

Back in mid 2020 Supersick_ burst onto the LEGO Pirates MOC scene with this upgraded 6285 Black Seas Barracuda, he named “Big Orra“.  This was just a small taste of what was to come!

Big Orra eventually evolved into the Fer Maiden and he dazzled us with his talents once again with the Barracuda Brig. But for now, let’s take an in depth look at his very first ship project…

Supersick_ writes:

Frigate Barracuda “Big ‘Orra” – during quarantine I ordered 2x @lego 21322 Pirates of Barracuda Bay and built my first MOC from the combined pieces. The original released in 1989 -and the whole pirate theme – was a huge part of my creativity as a kid and it felt great to do an early-18th century frigate homage to the Black Seas Barracuda.

Her sails are full, her hull is sleek and she lives up to her Barracuda name. She carries 16 main cannons on her gun deck, another 6 lighter shot on her weather and quarter decks and 2 bow chasers for a total of 24 guns.

The stern even has a figurehead!

All the guns on that broadside is enough to drive fear into the heart of Governor Broadside!

Features a modular hull for easy extension

The Captain’s Cabin has a desk big enough for at least two treasure maps!

On the bridge the fancily decorated navigator is at the helm

The gun deck is well crewed and there’s enough firepower to take down any Imperial Guard vessel who may stand in their way!

Feisty wenches woman the upper deck – ready to take on marauders!

About the Builder…

Supersick_ (Lindsay Ross for those who prefer real names) made a splash in mid 2020 when he debuted on the LEGO Pirates scene by sharing some awesome MOCs in the Classic Pirates Facebook Group. Since then, he’s joined the LEGO Pirate MOCs Forum and posted some great ships, including the Fer Maiden and Barracuda Brig, not to mention he’s provided some fantastic advice to other ship builders.

To keep up with his latest work follow him on Instagram, and building instructions for (some of) his ships can be found on ReBrickable.

Got any questions? Want some advice from the man himself? Plot a course to the LEGO Pirates Forum for further discussion!

Jack Sassy may be the New Kid on the Boat (in other words he blogs for Classic-Pirates.com now), but he’s had a rather long affiliation with LEGO Pirates.

So he’s no stranger to whipping up nifty little MOCs like “Treasure Cove” which looks something akin to the Pirates of the Caribbean sets released back in 2011. Think along the lines of 4181 Isla De Muerta only with slightly less detail.

Jack Sassy writes:

Ahoy, everyone,

Today I present to you my newest MOC and also my first topic on this site – Treasure Cove.

Thank you for your time to read this post and tell me what ye think about this build, criticism is always open to a certain point.

Jack Sassy

The back of it…

Looking down  you get a complete overview of the cove

The Story

The two characters established here are Albert Van Der Graff, a noble Dutch pirate sailing in the West Indies during the early 18th century, and his comrade, helmsman – John Bones. Together they have sailed into this dark cove to find a lost treasure which could be worth a few dozen reales. While maybe before there were some natives guarding the place before, nowadays it seems they all have disappeared, the only evidence of their presence are the poor souls who tried getting the treasure for themselves.

Is that Albert rowing? or John?

Mooring the boat to the “jetty” – if that plank counts as a jetty

It’s secured good and tight as they embark on their adventure

Hey! Look! The treasure is on that unconcealed shelf about 3 feet away…

The adventure beings… Albert and John begin their quest, determined to find the treasure at all costs!  Equipped with a lantern (not that there’s much of a cave to explore) and an axe (won’t be much use for that either given there’s no foliage or protection concealing the treasure) they will not fail their mission!

Who might that poor unfortunate soul be? Is it Captain Jack Sparrow? Well, it’s not Ironhook because he doesn’t have a hook.

If yer ran someone through with yer blade, yer’d remember to reclaim yer blade, wouldn’t yer?

So is that yellow thing supposed to be gold?

Behold! The treasure! A pair of sapphires with mystical powers!

The treasure itself is a bit of a cheap trade seeing as it’s only a couple of red crystals… but sold to the right person… one might be able to buy themselves a proper vessel.

It would probably be a better treasure cave if it was concealed with a vine or something…

And this is how everything holds together….

After removing the rowboat, the water blue base plates are revealed, however Jack did not see fit to connect these plates otherwise “there wouldn’t be a place for the boat“…  Now we’re uncertain why that is, because from our understanding, the boat sits on top of the plates.

Knowing this wonderful engineering feat, wouldn’t it be fun to pick this MOC when you needed to relocate it?

About the Builder…

Jack Sassy has been sailing around the LEGO Pirates Forum for some time now and has recently been press-ganged recruited to the Classic Pirates Blogging Crew so be sure to check out his Blog Post on “Crown Dominion Fortress“.

He’s also an accomplished builder with a Flickr account filled with glorious MOCs, so make that be your next stop!

And if you’re compelled to discuss “Treasure Cove” with the Classic Pirates and Jack Sassy himself, hit the red discussion button below.