For someone who grew up with the old Pirates LEGO theme, it’s always gratifying to see the theme’s evolution at the hands of able builders. Case in point: “Redcoat Navy Brigantine” by Evancelt Lego. The Imperial Navy sets sail in a slick, stylish vessel that pays homage to the original theme while really hoisting the yardarm a few notches in terms of detail and accuracy. This incarnation of the pirates’ nemesis has a distinctly Napoleonic feel. The deck hums with activity while bayonet-wielding marines stand at the ready. I love those brick-built furled sails, which are almost indistinguishable from cloth, and the trans blue and white tiles standing in for a serene sea. Is the Navy on the trail of pirates, or do they have another mission in mind?
Tag Archives: Sailing Ships
LEGO Icons GWP 40729 Shackleton’s Lifeboat – Really feeling the FOMO! [Review]
With the monster LEGO Icons 10335 The Endurance coming in with over 3,000 pieces, it’s hard to think there’s more that could be added on. And yet, LEGO still drums up some extras with a special gift-with-purchase, LEGO Icons GWP 40729 Shackleton’s Lifeboat, available from November 29th through December 2nd with the purchase of the big ship (US | CAN | UK). So let’s dig into this 232-piece GWP and see if it’s worth prioritizing a buy of LEGO Icons 10335 The Endurance over Black Friday weekend. If you miss the GWP during this window, it may be available from some 3rd party resellers like Amazon or eBay.
The LEGO Group provided The Brothers Brick with an early copy of this set for review. Providing TBB with products for review guarantees neither coverage nor positive reviews.
Check out the review of this new GWP below!
LEGO Black Friday exclusive 10335 The Endurance celebrates Ernest Shackleton with 3,000-piece sailing ship and GWP [News]
Earlier this month, National Geographic released a documentary on Disney+ about the discovery of Ernest Shackleton’s lost ship, Endurance. With perfect timing, LEGO is now releasing the polar exploration vessel in a 3,011-piece display kit: 10335 The Endurance. Retailing for US $269.99 | CAN $349.99 | UK £229.99, this ship will set sail from November 29 — just in time for the holiday season. No mention of Endurance can pass without mentioning the incredible feat of human endurance that followed its wrecking; and so LEGO Insiders can also get their hands on an exclusive gift with purchase — 40729 Shackleton’s Lifeboat – free with copies of the Endurance purchased between November 29 and December 2.
Take a look at pictures of the Endurance and lifeboat James Caird below!
Treasure Planet’s Legacy celebrated in LEGO
Treasure Planet features some of the best action and artistry to ever come from the House of the Mouse, and in a just world would have been proudly featured in one of the many LEGO collabs of last year. Alas, it’s mostly remembered as the studio’s biggest box office misfire with nary a collectible Minifig to remember it by. For Daniel Church, the film’s mix of nautical adventure and cosmic spectacle remains a wellspring of inspiration. After many years of building sci-fi sails and futuristic ports, he took on his dream project: recreating Treasure Planet’s signature ship, the RLS Legacy, in LEGO. Standing 40″ tall and 39″ long and assembled from over 3000 pieces, the results are a stunning display of LEGO craftsmanship and a fitting tribute to an amazing design.
Sail on to appreciate the Legacy from other angles !
Nova Scotia’s beloved Bluenose in LEGO
No boat has stirred a nation’s pride like Canada’s Bluenose. Built in 1921, the Nova Scotia-based fishing and racing schooner won the International Fisherman’s Cup in its maiden year, and 17 years later came out of retirement to win its last-ever competition in a nailbiter of a grudge match. Builder Moptoptrevpays tribute with a detailed model in LEGO of the ship, or rather its replica successor, the Bluenose II, which sails to this day as Nova Scotia’s ambassador of the seas. moptoptrev does a great job shaping the schooner’s hull in dark red and matching the original’s rigging.
It’s a lovely ship – no wonder it inspired “Canada’s finest stamp” — also commemorated in LEGO!
Black Falcons are on the move
LEGO ships come in various shapes and sizes and are captained by different factions. Builder Andreas Lenander transports us to a scene where the Black Falcons are embarking on an adventure. The builder shows off with the construction and placement of the sails, as I’m sure those things weigh quite a bit. Undoubtedly this portion of the build presented a challenging task as well as a unique approach to a frequently visited part of a ship build. Brick-built sails are not unique, but the approach here diverges from the often-seen use of borrowed capes and other fabrics and provides depth and volume to the overall build. Although the sails are great, a closer look at each shipmate intrigues me as I try to determine where the hairpiece was borrowed. I see a couple of familiar options- Ariel? Leia? Finally, the water caught my attention. Although the approach is simple, it almost seems obvious now. I don’t know if this builder utilized a groundbreaking approach to depicting water via LEGO bricks, but I sure enjoyed seeing it for the first time here.
Cast off to 1996 with the Space Pirates
Captain Redbeard sails again on this LEGO model by Okay Yaramanoglu! This whole build is a love letter to the classic Pirates set Red Beard Runner from 1996, with everything from the masts and crane to the fast-flying escort and hyper-cannons mirroring the details of the original set. The pair of rowboats used as “air” intakes is an inspired decision, and Yaramanoglu has added some great greebling around the deck using various small and textured parts. That said, those sailors on the prow are starting to turn blue. Maybe someone should get them a spare oxygen tank?
No nautical know-how necessary to marvel at this massive LEGO sailing ship
Sometimes, one of the hallmarks of a really great LEGO creation is that you can barely tell it’s made of LEGO. Such is the case with this stunning sailing ship (the Saint Germain, as the letters on the stern proudly proclaim) by Taeseok Kang. This elegant vessel has been rendered in detail enough to make any eighteenth-century mariner proud, from the intricate rigging (created with official LEGO rope elements rather than string) to the gradually sloping elements of the hull.
See lots more photos of this amazing LEGO sailing ship
Don’t sail off the edge!
We’ve been impressed by Ralf Langer’s alien and exotic worlds before, by golly! But this time, I’m in awe of that two-stud wide perfectly round base. That is what he had challenged himself to do and not only is this build visually striking, but sturdy enough to hold. It’s also larger than expected at first glance. The white 1×2 plate sort of acts as a reference to the size of it all. Ralf tells us that he certainly could have loaded the composition with greenery but scaling back to a very simplified color scheme does wonders for this scene. The water somehow looks deep but, as the edge shows, it’s only two studs wide. I’m well aware the water and the rest of this world continue outside of the borders of what has been presented here but one can almost imagine the little sailing ship going ass-over-tea kettle off the edge.
Billowing sails on the high seas
The latest episode of LEGO Masters had me in awe as the contestants built stunning pirate ships in just eight hours. This lovely tall ship by Ralf Langer is admittedly several nautical miles above and beyond that and surely took him more than eight hours to construct. The cannons, the rigging, and the waving flag are all amazing touches to be sure. But the star of the show here has got to be those billowing sails. Ralf is a master at building complex curves and textures and this ship encompasses all of that in some surprising ways. Please do yourselves the favor and set sails for our Ralf Langer archives to see what other adventures await.
You’ll have a hauntingly good time aboard the Flying Dutchman
The Flying Dutchman has been haunting the minds of those who enjoy a good maritime legend for centuries. The ghost ship no doubt haunts W. Navarre‘s mind, inspiring this cool LEGO creation. This build is for the Iron Builder challenge, specifically the use of giant green minifig hands. The use of them here is subtle and cool. Can you spot them? They’re the cannons! Their bright green color is perfect for a ghostly vessel doomed to roam the seas for all time. Speaking of subtleties, I really like the hints at otherworldliness on the ship. Those details don’t overwhelm the structure of the ship itself, allowing it to pass as an old sailing vessel–until you’re up close and personal. The ghostly touch I like the most is the curved flame piece at the top of the central mast. It’s the perfect part for that tattered, ethereal flag look.
Continue on, if ye be brave enough
Set sail on the high seas with 38 guns ablazin’!
With thirty-eight cannons at the ready, this LEGO HMS Argonaut built by Fehron Argonaut looks like it can handle just about anything. This builder clearly knows their way around tall ships. I’m loving the sails, the flags, even the complex rigging is a sight to behold. I sort of wish the builder had more to say about this amazing creation other than “38 gun frigate”. It really deserves a backstory. There was apparently an HMS Argonaut in real history, a few of them in fact, but none quite like this. We’ll just have to imagine for ourselves the adventures that await this handsome vessel. My limited research states that this may also be the first time we have featured this builder but with LEGO skills this good, we’ll surely be on the lookout for more. In the meantime, be sure to check out some other tall ships from various builders.