To me, the heart of Lego is found away from movie tie-ins. At its purest, Lego is joyous escapism, bound only by one's knowledge, either accurate or clichéd, of the world. Or in this case, of history.

The new Creator Pirate Ship is an absolute triumph. On top of the recent pirates Ideas set, it represents the continuation of a long and noble dynasty of pirate Lego. It's not a theme I had growing up, but it's one which has always appealed.

All three builds have great merit. The only difficulty of Creator sets is that if one wishes to save the main build till last, the numbered bags are of no use. Since the build is as much fun as the model, though, being forced to slow down only prolongs the enjoyment.

The model which appealed to me least was the skull island, so I tackled that first. It's a great build, the curved plates SNOTted together to build the skull in a satisfyingly intricate and robust way.

The orangutan is worthy of mention, as a brick-built animal I've not seen before, and the jolly boat is a nice build. The raft looks the part, too.

Out of the three builds, what really appeals about this model is the Technic function. The skull opens, and will hold in open position. As an introduction to a basic crankshaft, it works really nicely.

The second smaller build is perhaps the one which caught my eye most when this set was previewed. The dockside tavern is maybe the least interesting build of the three, but it has some splendid features.

The roof is magnificent, with the pitched dormer attached via ball-and-socket joints. Green plates are used for creepers, and this to me highlights what is good about this model, as a Creator set. Yes, Lego has many dedicated foliage pieces, but those would be of no use for the main build ship, so this approach relies more on the imagination.

I like the fact that this building opens via hinges, recalling the Medieval Market Village, and even the yellow Castle.

This also reveals an admittedly minimal staircase, alongside the furniture and bar. Under the staircase is the hint of a cellar accessible from outside for the delivery of barrels. Closed up, the back wall requires a certain amount of imagination, it must be said.

Again, I'll forgive this set a lot, and will choose to think of this as an open verandah/terrace.Others have said that the remaining unused bricks from the main build might close this wall up more. I didn't check, but might do so if I rebuild.

I'd like to give a big cheer for the accordion - it would be much better with matching sides, rather than the red and black the available pieces dictate. However, it's instantly recognizable, and a great minibuild. The brick-built horse is also an advance compared to those from the yellow Castle.

It's just a really appealing building, and I might yet settle on it as my final display build from this set, since I have the Brick Bounty already built.

And so to the main attraction: the ship itself. I wrote in my review of The Brick Bounty that its heavy use of prefab pieces reduced my enjoyment, not only of the build, but even of the finished model. None of that applies here.

This build was fantastic, the highlights predictably including the SNOT hull and the hinged walls of the captain's cabin. As others have noted, the use of hidden internal red and green bricks for port and starboard sections of the build is one of those touches which make you smile. The brick-built sails look tremendous to me, and I'd choose them every time over cloth, as the pieces can be repurposed (as in the skull island alternate build).

The figurehead is also delightful, and adds a variety of colour to the already beautiful palette of the ship as a whole.

Mention must also be made of the utterly splendid brick-built shark, which could be a model in its own right.

It's a stunning model, losing nothing from avoiding prefab pieces - quite the opposite, as the individual curved bricks which make up the hull really do look clinker-built. Lego ships always look imposing owing to the height of the masts, and this is no exception.

If I had any criticisms of the pirate ship main build, the bow is perhaps a tad blunt, but the construction of the clinker-built SNOT curves is so satisfying that I forgive it. I must be fair to the Brick Bounty though, and also mention that having only two cannons is a shame, given that the ship has four gunports.

As you can tell, I'm a huge fan of this set. I'd recommend it to anyone, but especially if you share any of my fondness for pure brick building, for non-tie-ins, for historic models, and for one of the great Lego themes of the past.

Read my other reviews:

WEETABIX1 · 375 · 383 · 677 · 3739 · 6035 · 6040 · 6041 · 6061 · 6062 · 6067 · 6918 · 7189 · 10193 · 10223 · 21325 · 21343 · 31109 · 31120 · 31132 · 70413 · 71002 · 71008 · 71034-11 · 76208

It's a review of me combining 2 sets of 31109 into an 8 gun full-rigged-ship.

I wasn’t too keen on the 31109 when I first saw its photos, especially the brick-built sails. During the Queen’s Birthday long weekend, I was reading posts on OZLUG of buying multiple sets to make it a bigger ship; that grabbed my attention as I mod all Lego sets where possible after I figured out Bricklink. However, at RRP of $160 AUD each, I might as well just buy the 21322 for $300 AUD; then again thanks to OZLUG, I realised that they are $119 at Kmart, meaning $238 worth of investment, no brainer! I quickly read up on reviews from Brickset and Brother’s Brick, how the completely brick-built design is its selling point, instead of using specialized boat hull pieces. My local Kmart had no stock, so I went to the next nearest one, nothing on the shelves again and a store girl told me all they have is already on the shelfs even though the online stock check shows limited availability. Disappointed, I was about the leave the store empty handed before I talked past the customer service counter, there was only one person in line so I decided to wait and check. The service girl was very helpful and checked the stock room for me, it turned out they do have three at the back, which I gladly picked up two; she told me apparently people try to steal Lego all the time, so they keep the good stuff at the back.

I had to wait for my baby to settle and sleep before started building that night. As the original model is built in 3 sections: bow with forecastle, waist, stern with captain’s cabin; I decided to build 2 x waists sections and have 3 masts. I always build repetition sections step by step simultaneously instead of finishing one section and start another, personally I find this method quicker. My aim is to stick to the original Lego design and finish the hull asap, redesign the masts into foremast, mainmast and mizzen mast, and use the remaining pieces to touch up and make the 2 waists transition smoothly.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2jaVGyp][/url][url=https://flic.kr/p/2jaVGyp]31109 Long Side View[/url] by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/128106728@N04/]R Y[/url], on Flickr

I wanted to rig the ship from the bowsprit to the stern flagpole, I had to move the “Plate Round 2 x 2 with Pin Hole and 4 Arms Up” to the mainmast beneath the lookout so the arms are equal distance to the diagonal spars from the foremast and mizzen mast. I spent more time on the foremast and rigging than any other sections. I tried a few different arrangements before settled down on the current layout, where the rigging goes down to the bowsprit from the upside-down diagonal spar. I used light bluish grey Technic Bush instead of the yellow ones provided. The hose piece is still slightly short and the bowsprit is pulled upwards, but the jib sail hides most of it. Overall, I was happy that I achieved my goal.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2jaVGPV][/url][url=https://flic.kr/p/2jaVGPV]Masts and Rigging[/url] by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/128106728@N04/]R Y[/url], on Flickr

I added a 1 x 2 red brown plate to each of the gun port openings so they are not too close to the waterline, I initially wanted to add 2 pieces per opening, but they were too high and affected the guns inside.

You can tell where each of the section ends with the breaks from the 3027 6 x 16 plate in dark tan secured with 2 x 2 blue round tiles. I made sure the 1 x 4 special plates overlap the gap to secure the sections. The alternating red and light orange strip along the deck worked out perfectly, I was initially worried that I may get a double up of same coloured plates with my MOD.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2jb9T9r][/url][url=https://flic.kr/p/2jb9T9r]Joins of the Sections[/url] by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/128106728@N04/]R Y[/url], on Flickr

As Lego only gives half the number of guns compare to the gun ports, having 2 sets gives me 4 guns to fill up the front gun deck, squeezed 2 minifigs inside with torches.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2jaVGHH][/url][url=https://flic.kr/p/2jaVGHH]Gun Deck with Baboon[/url] by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/128106728@N04/]R Y[/url], on Flickr

I plated over the opening next to the gangways on the 2^nd waist, to make it look like a quarterdeck, but not really raised due to the limitation of my skills in the mod. I really like the brick-built rowing boat from the alternative Skull Island bult, I made it longer using 2 x 2 slopes at the stern and made other changes as certain parts were already used in the main ship built. I also built a boat rack with 4 cheese slopes and some plates. The rowing boat fills up on the empty quarterdeck perfectly, I really like how it turned out.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2jaVGF3][/url][url=https://flic.kr/p/2jaVGF3]Rowing Boat[/url] by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/128106728@N04/]R Y[/url], on Flickr

With the 2 sets of 3 human minifigs, I swapped around their outfits, brought in a pair of black legs to swap out the peg leg. Now I have 6 different minifigs, I left out the epaulette for the officer to differentiate him from the captain.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2jaUp76][/url][url=https://flic.kr/p/2jaUp76]a9[/url] by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/128106728@N04/]R Y[/url], on Flickr

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2jaUp8D][/url][url=https://flic.kr/p/2jaUp8D]a8[/url] by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/128106728@N04/]R Y[/url], on Flickr

I built the red/green parrot and blue seagull according to the instructions, again had to use some different pieces due to availability. Lastly, I added the pet baboon hanging off the shroud, it’s a really fun build where its arms and waist are twistable to get a good pose.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2jaRK7u][/url][url=https://flic.kr/p/2jaRK7u]Baboon[/url] by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/128106728@N04/]R Y[/url], on Flickr

I really liked how this MOD turned out, this is probably the cheapest and easiest way to get a Lego 8-gun full-rigged-ship (three or more masts), even the 21322 only has only two masts. It’s around 58cm long from the tip of the bowsprit to the edge of stern flag, around 36cm tall from the tip of mainmast to the bottom of the hull, 19cm wide at the horizontal spars. With the elongated waist, it makes the forecastle and poop deck seem small in comparison, a bit out of proportion to be honest; but at this stage, I don’t have the skills to design and make them bigger.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2jaUp57][/url][url=https://flic.kr/p/2jaUp57]Side Front View[/url] by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/128106728@N04/]R Y[/url], on Flickr

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2jaRKdb][/url][url=https://flic.kr/p/2jaRKdb]Top Front View[/url] by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/128106728@N04/]R Y[/url], on Flickr

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2jaRKaF][/url][url=https://flic.kr/p/2jaRKaF]Back View[/url] by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/128106728@N04/]R Y[/url], on Flickr

VERSION II MOD 16/06/2020

Since Lego pieces are not glued down, there is a constant urge inside me to modify and improve on my models. With the additional waist section of the ship, the forecastle and poop deck are slightly out of scale in relation to the whole ship. The poop deck and the captain’s cabin are very hard for me to mod, so I decided to concentrate on the forecastle.

I started with closing off the front façade, utilising spare pieces from the 2^nd set: using red and gold bricks, plates, studs and window panes to create the wall; then brown bricks, plates and round top window pane to create a door in the middle.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2jc9iPy][/url][url=https://flic.kr/p/2jc9iPy]Front[/url] by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/128106728@N04/]R Y[/url], on Flickr

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2jc6AAs][/url][url=https://flic.kr/p/2jc6AAs]Bow[/url] by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/128106728@N04/]R Y[/url], on Flickr

I used inverted slopes to create a flight of stairs from the forecastle, I added it to the starboard side to balance the port side one on the poop deck. I tried to make it go down towards the stern initially, but there was no space so had to make it go down to the port side. For the railing on the stairway, I used Slope Curved 4 x 1 No Studs to cater for the step down and it mirrors nicely with the one on the poop deck. On the port side of the forecastle, I had to use my own tan plates to increase the deck by 2 studs deep. On the first version, I also included a balustrade made up of 1 x 3 black plate and two 1 x 1 gold cones to mirror the one on the poop deck; but I removed it in the end as it’s too crowded.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2jc9iQf][/url][url=https://flic.kr/p/2jc9iQf]Forecastle Top[/url] by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/128106728@N04/]R Y[/url], on Flickr

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2jc9iQR][/url][url=https://flic.kr/p/2jc9iQR]Forecastle Starboard[/url] by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/128106728@N04/]R Y[/url], on Flickr

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2jc9iUi][/url][url=https://flic.kr/p/2jc9iUi]Forecastle Stair[/url] by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/128106728@N04/]R Y[/url], on Flickr

The sides of the forecastle walls are widened by adding one extra window, 2 studs wide, replicating the original design, finishing with a cheese slope each side on top of Plate Special 1 x 2 Rounded. I had to take the two 2 x 2 slopes from my rowing boat for the base of the window. As I was removing pieces for the new shorter railing going down the hull; I optimised the use of plates, overlap where possible, and use long plates instead multiple of short plates.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2jcaDLr][/url][url=https://flic.kr/p/2jcaDLr]Anchor in the right position[/url] by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/128106728@N04/]R Y[/url], on Flickr

In the first mod, I only had one anchor even though I had a spare from the 2^nd set, I completed forgot about it. To make the anchors sit horizontally as how they suppose to be while sailing, I swapped the gold stud on the bow with a black cheese slope, the anchor bar can rest in between the cheese slope and the horizontal brown bar that holds the hose.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2jcaDJx][/url][url=https://flic.kr/p/2jcaDJx]Brown Cheese Slope replacing Gold Stud[/url] by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/128106728@N04/]R Y[/url], on Flickr

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2jcaDys][/url][url=https://flic.kr/p/2jcaDys]Two Thirds View[/url] by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/128106728@N04/]R Y[/url], on Flickr

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2jcaDCk][/url][url=https://flic.kr/p/2jcaDCk]Port Elevation[/url] by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/128106728@N04/]R Y[/url], on Flickr

We don't get a lot of things Lego Pirates much any more to my personal dismay but if these sets continue to trickle out at this quality I would be pretty happy. It is a fun little ship, emphasis on little as this is not a large ship. Which is okay by me, more diversity in ship scale as well as being a little more authentic to actual pirates with their small, lightweight and fast ships. It looks great though and the ship itself being entirely brick built offers itself as a great tutorial in building your own ships with your own parts. Bigger, smaller there this design is easily scalable.

This is a 3 in 1 set and happy to report that all 3 of the builds are substantial and could easily be their own individual sets. A wonderful pirate inn and the best looking skull island in the pirate line. It is almost worth buying the set 3 more times just to have all 3 builds, but the other two builds have a lot of extra pieces, so you'd be overpaying a bit. Additionally, the Skull Island while being the best we got of the sort is not perfect. The top in particular is rather ugly.

The playability of the set is rather good especially the alternative builds, but the main ship is rather hollow in play potential. There is no opposition for the pirates so the play potential of the set resorts to who the captain is going to make walk the plank today. If there was a pirate line now or down the horizon though this ship would be a whole lot more playable with it's shootable cannons and rather sturdy construction.

All in all a great set for adults that want to display and for children that just want a big ole pirate ship.

Creator 3 in 1 set 31109 Pirate Ship has tempted me. I could not wait until price cut and bought it straight away due to the passion in LEGO® pirate and castle themes. I have assembled it a while ago and just had the time to make a review now. Please be advised that the content of this review will be full of nautical terms.

This set has three minifigures and one skeleton. Those minifigures consist of a captain and two crews, whereas, the skeleton might be the remains of a captive that has a stroke of bad luck due to his ransom was never paid out to the pirates. There are two animals on this set which is a blue seagull and shark that are made from LEGO® pieces. There are also a treasure chest full of plunder and two cannons that can shoot parts.

One thing that stand out from this set is the sail with skeleton image that designed with LEGO® parts. This design seems to be successful enough because the skeleton looks like the skeleton on pirate ships, and it makes the set to looks cool. Unfortunately, this is not realistic since in reality, pirates always masquerade their ships as neutral ships. But LEGO® ship with plain sail would not look interesting, right.

Different from 21322 Pirate of Barracuda Bay set that use cloth sail, this set with the sails assembled using LEGO® parts looks interesting enough for purist AFOLs that prefer sail assembled from LEGO® components. The set designer is successful in designing the sail. Alas, part of the sails are designed furled and not as full sails.

The ship also use flexible tubes as part of its rigging system. The only complain is that there is no rigging that run into the bow of the ship even though there is one piece flexible tube left that can be used as rigging for the bow into the bowsprit. Other than that, the poop deck section is too small compared to the quarter deck and they seems to become as one part.

The skeleton on the image below is forced to ‘walk the plank’ by the captain. It is great to see that the designer did not forget about this pirate-like punishment method. As usual, a wooden ship will not become complete without a figurehead! There is mermaid figurehead to complement this seafaring vessel. There is a working anchor system where the pirates can raise and drop the anchor at their leisure.

The stern section and quarterdeck are beautifully designed. I really love the details as displayed by the photos below. Unfortunately, this ship only have the captain’s cabin. There are no officers' cabins which is not surprising since we are not into realistic ship design in LEGO®. There are two lanterns and a small flag of skull with eye patch located at the stern castle. Last but not the least, the ship will not become complete without a rudder which is shown on the photo.

There are several shortcoming on the ship design such as only two cannons are provided while the ship has 4 cannon ports, the ship proportion does not look good since the ship is not long enough. The amidship looks awkward, hence, several AFOLs have modded the amidship into a longer design. And lastly, with ship this huge, we need more minifigures as crews!

Building Experience

This is my first time building a pirate ship and I really enjoy every part of it. It was tedious, but I love building it so much. Felt like I was building a vessel for a pirate crew ready to plunder the seven seas! And don't forget the shark!

Parts

The parts are generous. Lots and lots of parts. If only TLG provide two more cannons and provide enough parts to lengthen the ship. The ship is too wide and not long enough.

Playability

Everyone will enjoy playing with it! Children will definitely have fun in playing with this gigantic vessel. Even I, as an adult enjoy playing with it and pretend I am the pirate admiral providing instructions to the crew to plunder for more booties!

Value For Money

Well, I could not wait to get discount for this set, I paid full price, and it is still worth to get it!

Special Note

Please note that I write this review based on my own LEGO Blog article which is available from: https://indobrickville.com/main/lego-set-review-31109-pirate-ship.

I hope this insight from me will be useful for all AFOLs out there!