WIP Rum Runner (First MOC Ship)

[Deckard]

Hey guys, I am excited about the news that lego will release POTC Lego sets, particularly the Queen Anne's Revenge and decided to break out my old legos. I haven't built anything in over 10 years and what I'm working with in terms of parts is extremely limited. I had the original flagship and some pirate outpost sets, and the only things I bought in the past 15 years or so have been a few Indiana Jones sets. To get around the lack of parts I came up with a gimmick/story. The Captain, hellbent on securing his treasure, used his own ship to ram the cave leading to his jewels and destroyed his ship in the process. He spent several years shipwrecked and rebuilding using only parts of the island's jungles. Very early stages here, but heres a few teaser pics, I will be extending the sails, adding the captain's cabin etc.

[Horry]

You can't really see much of the vessel herself there. But I like the idea of the sails bein' made from palm-leafs.

[Deckard]

Thanks Horry, it struck me a good alternative sail. Made a bit more progress today but not ready to show her off entirely. Heres another teaser of the shape. Captains Cabin is basically a giant tree hollowed out with rock reinforced sides. Also need to straiten out the crows nest once I get the deck and then rigging on. The ship will have a ton of plant growth as though while she was shipwrecked, the jungle overgrowth kept growing right onto her.

Please be gentle I know its a strange design, I was going for a cool looking ship more then a practical looking one. If all goes well, I will pick up the new Flagship for my first realistic moc.

Edited April 16, 2011 by Deckard

[Big Cam]

It looks like it could be cool, but the pictures are awfully blurry.

Keep on MOC'ing though, it looks good.

[Deckard]

Thanks Cam. Once she's done I'll take much better pics with better lighting.

[Horry]

The idea of rebuilding a vessel from jungle-parts is really cool. You might say as this was a pirate ship before it also had a pirate crew. This might explain the lack of a shipwright (or at least a properly trained one) and therefore why they have to go with a ship like this now. Some of the parts of the ship look a bit fragile to me. If I would have to build a ship that I'll have to use on open seas I would try to provide winds and water with less target and add some more braces. But if realistic approaches are not your primary goal for this MOC I say scrap my suggestions, you're on the right track

[Keybobs]

Using the jungle leaves as sails is such a great idea, pratical, no. aesthetically appealing? oh yes from your descriptions it sounds like she is going to be a beauty! hopefully you can fix the photo quality nice job

[Deckard]

Thanks for the support guys! I know alot of really talented builders are here and I'm coming in with something that is pure fantasy, so I appreciate the understanding. I just wanted something that captured the spirit of adventure and the Pirate sets I had as a kid.

I worked on her alot last night, I think she's more or less finished. I will get the crew on board and take better daylight pics as well. I also have a nice in depth story on her I'll post up. Thanks again.

[Admiral Croissant]

Good to see some clear pictures this time As other people have said, this is a very original way of making a ship.

She is perfectly camouflaged (except for the wide seas), so I think she would be good in surprise attacks on rivers with trees around it.

I also like the sail made of leaves. Well done, and welcome to Eurobricks

[Keybobs]

Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, I love it! It's given me a lot of food for thought. I love the integration of a rock formation, I also love the leaf like lanterns you have there. It certainly captures the spirit of adventure and the lego humour. Really nice work, it has brightened my day for sure

[Deckard]

Thanks alot guys, glad to be here. Also pleased your enjoying my ship, heres some final version pics. I'm really happy with how it turned out for 2-3 days and digging through limited parts.

[Bart]

I have to say I like it, very Unique and a great way of using Lego

Bart

[Deckard]

I have to say I like it, very Unique and a great way of using Lego

Bart

Thanks alot Bart.

This has really gotten me back into Legos, can't wait to pick up the Queen Anne's Revenge and now I've been eyeing the Temple of Doom as well.

[Athos]

I think it needs another color. I don't like the mostly black and brown combination. It seems to flat. Maybe use tan or yellow as an accenting shade?

But, personally, I'm much more intrigued by the picture on the screen in the background than the actual MOC... I really want to know what has the seagulls so excited, but I can't decide whether I want to see the rest of it or not...

Steve

[Deckard]

Thanks Steve, I'm thinking of doing a bit more work if I can order the right bricks I need online. I'm just limited in what I have right now.

That painting on the backround is actually from the Pirates of the Caribbean ride in Disney, its a mural painted on the wall. Its by Marc Davis who also did much of the concept design and is the man who pretty much came up with what alot of the iconic pirates would look like.

[Deckard]

I've ordered a few new pieces, to put some brown in that midsection surrounding the cannons, and a gray bar at the bottom. Also some stuff to finish the cabin, etc and some new heads for pirates and I started on the skeleton ship, and pirate fort. Here is the story so you guys will be able to understand some of the builds I'll be posting up and where they are coming from.

Captain Blackbrick sailed into Smuggler's Cove, assembled a crew, stole the pirate lord's daughter, and set a course for Imperial waters to outrun his pursuing ships. Here he played a game of cat and mouse in dense fog with an Imperial Admiral whom he evenutally bested. He ransacked the ship and found a map which the Admiral explained he had gotten from a Pirate he was sent to kill. The pirate stole a large treasure of rubies, diamonds, and stones headed for England, and hid it deep in a mythical island, but on his way out, his ship was destroyed in a hurricane. The sole survivor was picked up a day later by the Admiral who learned the tale before hanging the man for piracy.

Blackbrick spared the Admiral's life and his ship, and informed his crew of the treasure deep in the Bermuda Triangle, a lost island that can only be reached by sailing into the eye of a hurricane. Several weeks later during a massive storm, they did just that and came out alive, battered and beaten, finding the island in the eye, and sailing up the island's dense river as the map directed. Finally reaching the cove but unable to open the seal to the treasure, Blackbrick became frustrated and after several days used his own ship to ram and open the cave mouth, shipwrecking himself in the process.

He had to rebuild his ship from the jungle to escape, however the Imperial Admiral sailed into the eye several weeks later seeking revenge. After a battle lasting for days, the Imperial crew was killed, only to be inadvertantly ressurected by native voodoo from the ocean floor as skeletal zombies. Some of the threats the crew will face while trying to escape include giant 5 foot Spiders and Mosquitos, Sharks, Octopus, Natives, British Zombies, Mutineers, Ghost Pirates, Mermaids, Overflowing Volcanos, and a grumpy Spinosaurus.

And a preview of things to come.