Tag Archives: Sailing

Certified Ship

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This is the ‘HMS Certitude’, an early-1800’s 26-gun ‘fourth-rate’ warship, as built by the rather talented hands of TLCB newcomer Powder Monkey.

Monkey’s creation packs in a boatload of features, including 26 working cannons across two decks, opening hatches and grills to reveal a beautifully detailed interior, a functioning capstan, woking rigging to set the sails, and an extensive crew of ‘Redcoat’ mini-figures.

Whilst a Navy ship, the Certitude does also feature a few ‘illegal’ (you could say piratical) techniques, including cut rigging, polyester cloth sails, and a few parts connected together in ways that LEGO wouldn’t countenance in an official set, but the result is a first rate, er… fourth-rate ship.

An extensive gallery of superb imagery is available to view at Powder Monkey’s ‘HMS Certitude’ Flickr album, or you can join the discussion at the Eurobricks forum. Click the links above to weigh anchor and set sail.

It’s a Pirate’s Life for Me

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Following our recent advertising shenanigans, this TLCB Writer is ready to find another more radical source of revenue, and Eurobricks’ Supersick_ might have the answer.

This incredible creation is a late-18th century heavy frigate, and one of the finest ships to feature here in many a year. Forty-eight brick-built cannons, a working double-deck capstan to weigh anchor, a highly detailed interior complete with cabins and stove, and working rigging that can accurately replicate real-world sailing profiles all feature, as does a skull-and-crossbones flag flying from the stern and first mast…

Which means both that this galleon is operating somewhat outside of maritime law, and also that these some very well equipped pirates.

Whether stolen from an Admiralty fleet or bought from plunder, it’s clear the piratical mini-figures aboard ‘The Supernaut’ are a mightily successful crew, which this TLCB Writer would rather like to join. Fortunately he (and you) can, as builder Supersick_ has produced building instructions for this astonishing ship.

There’s much more to see, including full build details, the real-world inspiration, digital renders, and further imagery – as well as a link to those building instructions – at the Eurobricks discussion forum. Click the link above to set sail, and consider beginning a lucrative new occupation.

Shadowy Seas

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The Lego Car Blog is not the best place to find intricate techniques for realistic castle walls, thatched roofs, or ocean waves. This is because the aforementioned items rarely appear on vehicular creations, and if they did we wouldn’t know how to talk about them. A flat-plane crank V8 or the subtleties between super and turbo-charging – yes, the finer points on lifelike rock-work – not so much.

Except today, where here at The Lego Car Blog is the most spell-bindingly beautiful – and somewhat haunting – brick-built landscape we’re sure you’ll see in brick form. Constructed from over 50,000 pieces, this is Huynh Khang and Ky Duy Phong’s ‘Kraken Shadowy’ pirate ship, and the astonishingly real ocean beneath it.

A literal sea of transparent 1×2 bricks and plates, layered over a rolling base varying in hue and elevation, Huynh Khang and Ky Duy Phong’s creation is perhaps the finest example of a brick-built ocean it’s possible to conceive. Jagged rocks stretch out of the waves like a hand from the depths, looking perilously close to the wonderful mini-figure-crewed pirate ship navigating the waters around them.

Beautifully lit, photographed and presented, there’s a whole lot more to see of the ship – and the spectacular ocean it sails upon – at Khang Huynh’s ‘Kraken Shadowy’ album. Click the link above to jump into the ocean.

Amerigo Vespucci

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This amazing creation is a near-perfect brick-built replica of the Amerigo Vespucci, a tall ship of the Italian Navy named after the 14th Century explorer of the same name. Surprisingly despite its late 18th century appearance the Amerigo Vespucci was actually built in 1930 as a training ship, and is still in use today based at the Italian port of La Spazia. This incredible recreation of the tall ship is the work of Luca Gaudenzi and it’s one of the most spectacular vessels this site has ever featured. Head over to Luca’s ‘Amerigo Vespucci’ album to begin your Italian Naval training.

Tiny Erection

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The raising drawbridge, the most famous of which has even become an official LEGO set, is a staple feature in bad car chase movies, in which cars seem to happily jump over them with no effect whatsoever on their suspension, nor the driver’s spine. The reality of course would be somewhat different, but we think even TLCB’s Rover 200 could manage to jump the Somerset Bridge in Bermuda, what with its mighty hand-operated lifting section measuring… 32 inches.

The reason for the tiny measurement is the raising portion only needs to be wide enough to let the masts of sailboats pass through, as depicted here in this lovely recreation of the Somerset Bridge, complete with sailing boat and an array of bridge traffic, by Flickr’s dicken liu. Head to Bermuda for a tiny erection via the link above!

A Pirate’s Life for Me

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Today’s creation is not a car, which means we’re well out of our depth. But, despite not knowing which way the wind is blowing, even we can see just how swell this magnificent 72-gun pirate galleon by Flickr’s Robert4168/Garmadon is.

To parrot a few stats from Robert, the ‘Buccaneer’s Dread’ measures 165 studs from rudder to bowsprit, 58 studs crossbeam, 170 studs tall, is crewed by 36 mini-figures (including obligatory skeletons), and features over 85 LED lights from third-party specialists Lightailing.

Robert’s voyage to complete the ‘Buccaneer’s Dread’ took three years, and the finished model is now up for sale, with much more of this piratical masterpiece available to view at his photostream. Sea dogs, buccaneers, freebooters, hearties and swashbucklers set sail via the link above!

*One hundred doubloons if you can spy all the piratical puns.

Barracuda Redux

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The 6285 Black Seas Barracuda is probably one of the greatest LEGO sets ever released. Launched back in 1989 with just under a thousand pieces, 6285 is a high watermark for LEGO’s Pirates range that the company is yet to better. But that hasn’t stopped SuperSick.

Loosely based on the original set, SuperSick’s Black Seas Barracuda Redux adds a host of smooth techniques and piece upgrades, plus an additional twelve cannons, to create very possibly our favourite pirate ship ever. In fact, apart from the flags flying in the wrong direction (sailing basics SuperSick!), it could be the perfect ship.

Join the piratical adventure at the Eurobricks forum via the link above.

Sundance

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TLCB’s luxury yacht, paid for by the riches that blogging Lego brings, doesn’t get mentioned much here. We like our privacy, and it’s hard enough keeping the multitude of attractive girls away as it is, without them knowing about the boat.

Ted Andes has no such qualms however, uploading this rather wonderful Technic yacht ‘Sundancer’ to Flickr.

A mini-figure cabin, keel, rudder, plus marvellous fabric sails fashioned from the LEGO Carousel set’s canopy create a boat very nearly as beautiful as TLCB’s, and you’re welcome on board via the link above. Ted’s of course, not ours.

*Today’s excellent title song.

HMS Texas

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This is ‘HMS Redoubtable’, an Imperial Guard ship by Flickr’s Elephant-Knight, and it has absolutely definitely got more guns than you. Even if you live in Texas.

Despite Texas having the highest number of guns (and the highest number of gun deaths – go-figure?), even a Texan is unlikely to match Redoubtable’s three gun decks and one hundred and twelve separate guns. That’s even more weaponry than is carried at an average ‘MAGA’ rally.

At over fifty inches long (that’s over 160 studs) and nearly forty inches tall, Elephant’s ship is impressive in far more ways than just than its gun tally, and there’s a whole lot more to see of this spectacular ship eleven-months-in-the-making at Elephant-Knight’s photostream.

Join the one hundred and twelve gun salute via the link above.

Not a Carrrrgh!

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Aarrrgh, this be a fine vessel. She be a twenty-four gun barque, plain to the eye yet a beauty where it counts, from her Harrrry Potter wand rigging to her 12-pounderrr cannons. She be captained by Sebeus I and you can request to join her crew on Flickrrrr.

Man Over Board!

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We’re not hopeful of this mini-figure’s safe return. Or the fate of the rest of the crew to be honest. James Pegrum is the builder behind this spectacular scene, in which a tall ship looks certain to lose its battle with an angry slate grey ocean. Look on at the tragedy unfolding via the link above.

Not a Car

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This is not a car, but it is beautiful. Modelled after a USS Brig, the ‘Europa’ features a beautifully constructed brick-built hull, complete rigging, a crimson deck (to hide the blood), a functioning capstan to raise the anchors, a working tiller-controlled rudder, and an unusual man-fornicating-with-bull figurehead design. Built by TLCB debutant TomSkippy there’s more to see at the Eurobricks ‘Pirate’ forum – click the link to set sail.

LEGO Technic 2020 | Set Previews!

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And now, later than billed, it’s the all new 2020 Technic line-up! OK, we’re well into 2020 now (and have already previewed the new 42109 Top Gear Rally Car and 42110 Land Rover Defender sets), but one of our Elves got caught at The LEGO Company’s HQ and securing its release was harder than removing a U.S President from office. We wouldn’t have minded (we have lot of Elves) but it had some great intel…

42101 Buggy

This intel in fact, the new 42101 Buggy aimed at aged 7+ and featuring 117 pieces. 42101 looks like a modern reinterpretation of the classic (and awesome) 8818 Dune Buggy set from 1993. It’s not as good as the 1993 version obviously, which had a single-cylinder piston engine, but it does feature steering and rear suspension, making it a worthwhile entry point into the Technic range. Expect to pay around $12/£9 in stores.

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42102 Mini Claas Xerion

The second entry point into the 2020 Technic range brings back the familiar green and red we’ve come to know from one of LEGO’s official partnerships. The original 42054 Claas Xerion 5000 set is – we think – one of the best Technic sets of all time, and the 130 piece 42102 set resembles a tiny (like, really really tiny) version of the 2017 flagship. Accurate decals, working steering, and a lawn mower thingy that rotates as the model is pushed along make the Mini Claas Xerion a neat set for ages 7+, and like the Technic Buggy above it’s available for pocket money. Good stuff.

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42103 Dragster

Uh oh, the Pull-Backs. The Scrappy-Dos of Technic, we haven’t yet been impressed by any of these. However 2020 looks like it might be the exception, because we rather like this one! Featuring nothing but a pull-back motor (boo), the new 42103 Dragster set displays the usual extensive stickerage we’ve come to expect from these sets but it looks… well, really rather good. Aimed at ages 7+, 42103 includes 225 pieces, a ‘Christmas tree’ light, and a wheelie-bar. Could 2020 be the first year of decent pull-back sets?

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42104 Race Truck 

No. Because back to form, here’s the 42104 Race Truck. With 227 pieces – all of which can be put to better use elsewhere – a plethora of stickers, and a pointless start/finish gantry thing, 42104 includes literally nothing that a Technic set should do. Oh, the bonnet opens, does that count? Next…

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42105 Catamaran 

Breaking momentarily away from the Pull-Backs comes 42105, one of LEGO’s most unusual Technic sets ever, although perhaps 2016’s 42074 Racing Yacht proved there is a market for Technic sailing boats. With 404 parts including a pair of new two-piece hulls and those huge sails, 42105 features complete mechanical controls for the rudders, hydrofoils and sails and can be re-built into a more traditional powerboat should you wish to deploy those sail pieces elsewhere. It also floats(!), which immediately makes it cooler than any other set in this line-up (because who doesn’t like a good bath toy?). Aimed at ages 8+ expect to pay around $40/£35 for 42105, and for bath time to become much more interesting.

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42106 Stunt Show

42106 pulls us back from bath time fun to, well… pull-back fun, but it could have good play value. Not much else mind. The 42106 Stunt Show includes three models in one; a pick-up truck, trailer/ramp, and a motorcycle, each looking fairly terrible despite the flame decals. The trailer features mechanically operated legs to turn it into a ramp and the truck includes steering, but that’s all. Which is nowhere near enough for a set costing $50/£45. Admittedly jumping the bike through the flaming hoop does look rather fun, but not $50 of fun, and we suspect even the Elves would tire of it quickly. We’ll be leaving this one on the shelf…

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42108 Mobile Crane

The final set of H1 2020 is the largest of the line-up (not withstanding the officially licensed 42110 Land Rover Defender and 42109 Top Gear Rally Car sets revealed here at the end of 2019), the near 1,300 piece 42108 Mobile Crane. Forgive us for not being particularly excited by this one, because it does look like a reasonable set. It’s just that LEGO have released countless eight-wheel mobile cranes over the years and they’re all becoming much the same.

42108 does feature a wealth of mechanical operations, with eight-wheel steering, boom elevation, rotation and extension all via hand-powered mechanisms, a working winch with a ratchet to allow it to lift loads, and four functioning stabilisers. However despite the increase in detail that we’ve come to expect from modern Technic sets and enhanced realism thanks to a few well-judged decals, 42108 is an utterly unmemorable product. It’s also priced at around $95/£85 which – particularly as it includes no B-Model – is rather a lot.

We’ll go sailing on 42105 instead…

Pieces of Eighty

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OK, we’re not sure how many pieces Flickr’s Robert4168/Garmadon has actually used to build ‘Montroy’s Flagship’, but it’s not many. What we are sure of is that Robert has demonstrated brilliantly that with just a handful of bricks you can create something blogworthingly wonderful. See more at the link.

Yaaar! Not a Caaar!

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The more astute among you may have noticed that this build is not a car. But it has allowed us to write a post title in a pirate voice and pirates are cool, which is a good enough reason for this TLCB writer. It’s also a properly excellent build, and there’s more to see of ZiO Chao‘s magnificent mini-figure scale ‘Black Queen’ pirate ship on Flickr via the link.