Released in 1989, the mighty 6274 Caribbean Clipper is a 378 piece set based on a two-masted sailing ship. Also known as the Sea Hawk, it includes four minifigures, one of which is the rare Governor Broadside minifig. Next to the 6285 Black Sails Barracuda, it’s one of the most iconic and beloved LEGO ships ever made.
Now, more than three decades later, Dorino has dared to reimagine this classic Pirates set. He’s beefed up the hull and incorporated a few aesthetic changes, here and there… and cleverly offers a rather big twist for us regarding the present crew onboard.
Did you know that the original 6274 Caribbean Clipper was the only LEGO ship which had gun ports (flags) facing downwards?
Well, Dorino managed to improve upon that gravity defying designer’s choice
Dorino writes:
Today I present you my very first ship. It’s is not an original design but heavily modified version of our beloved 6274 Caribbean Clipper.
I managed to buy big bulk of old LEGO that included 6285 Black Seas Barracuda but all the sails and most of the masts were missing, and since I already own 21322 Pirates of Barracuda Bay, I decided to build the other ship from 1989!
A scan from the 1989 LEGO Pirates catalogue, arguably one of the best years to be a kid and in love with LEGO Pirates
The Reimagined Classic
Dorino continues:
The first step was to acquire sails, replacement ones were bought from eBay as the original ones were either too expensive or in poor condition.
The best part about original ship is its “forward” style of sails, it was kept untouched until the rigging was added.
The stern is one of the best parts of the ship, the original colour scheme was not kept but yellow and black looks great, too.
Gone is the yellow parrot figurehead and in its place hangs the carcass of an unfortunate pirate who was unable to escape the upgraded vessel
There’s even a crane for hauling treasure which has been stolen reclaimed from those naughty pirates…
Only one mast rigging like on the original? Don’t be absurd? Proper ships have have TWO mast riggings
But wait! Something is amiss – the Soldier crew is no longer present! Governor Broadside and his cronies have vanished! Hmm… maybe that’s what’s left of Broadside in the figurehead?
The Clipper now sails under those vicious pirates who are, apparently distributing fresh fruit and veggies throughout the Brick Seas. Have they taken the King’s pardon and become legitimate merchants!?
Regardless of the crew, this is a lovely re-interpretation of this old classic with great stern contours and few well placed modern upgrades. Governor Broadside (wherever he might be) should be pleased
Tales Upon the Box Art
In certain regions, the box art of earlier pirate sets offered a backstory to fuel the imaginations of the children building them.
Once upon a time the larger LEGO Pirate sets (like 6274 Caribbean Clipper) included reading material
The tale upon the box art of the original 6274 Caribbean Clipper
The first paragraph of the 1989 set stories:
Sometime during the 18th century, a peaceful colony of settlers enjoying the island treasures they discovered, suddenly had their serenity interrupted. The invaders were those who called themselves the LEGOLAND® Pirates of the Sea! For years, the Pirates had been searching for the same name buried that the settlers were now claiming as their own. This, of course, disturbed the Pirates as they knew the doubloons the settlers found had belonged to their ancestors.
The remaining text in the above image is a bit too small for you to read? Fret not, we will explore those stories in greater detail in another blog post in the near future eventually.
About the Builder…
Dorino (Wiktor Boroń) is a longstanding veteran of the LEGO Pirates Forum on Eurobricks. He’s a versatile builder with an interest in several vastly different LEGO themes; from Trains (his favourite), to Star Wars to land-based City vehicles, all the way to the open seas of Pirates.
For more great work visit his Flickr account and be sure to take a picturesquely stroll through his Photostream as you will be thrilled to discover more than one amazing build awaiting you.
What Do Yer Think?
Do yer think that Dorino should have kept the original colour scheme especially blue/yellow on the stern? Or do yer approve of the Pirates Of Barracuda Bay yellow and black? What about the length? Does it look kinda “fat” with only one hull middle section, or it’s cute and adorable (like yer fat cat)?
What does the Caribbean Clipper have in common with a tugboat?
If you were Governor Broadside, would yer approve it, or would you demand the original?
Let us know! The Classic Pirates are waiting for you in the most swashbuckling LEGO Pirates forum in the world!
