Ranking the Pirate Ships 1-15

[clm]

The 2004 pirate ship is a 4 juniors set " 7075: Captain Redbeard's Pirate Ship " so does not really compare well to the minifig ships. On one hand it has less parts count(131) then even the smallest ship the Crossbone Clipper(151), on another it actually floats and one version of it came with a clip on motor. The version using the same hull from the Harry Potter series (4768 The Durmstrang ship) might actually fit a bit better as the build is done at minifig scale and the parts count(544) is much more detail oriented. I could see a version of the 7072 Captain Kragg's Pirate Ship fitting into the normal pirates theme though as it is basically a larger rowboat with a mast.

[VintageLegoEra]

agree with first 3 ranks. But i will give the Lord Of The Ring Ship last Rank and will pull the vintage Caribbean Clipper to Rank 4.

Also, the 6268 and 6259,,i would prefer them to be at first 5 ranks..

 

cheers

Edited November 17, 2016 by VintageLegoEra

[DonRamon1981]

Cool I like your ranking.

My one would be different I would go with this, but maybe so my age and my love to history is a big part why my list is like that: 

1. Imperial Flagship 

It is the most detailed, historical correct, biggest and most beautiful ship that lego has ever released.

2. Brick Bounty

I know most would disagree. But when you look at the similar look of the cabin like the Imperial Flagship and the Brickbeards Bounty, it has the same style. It looks more than every other ship lower in the list like a real ship. I like the back cannon as also that was a thing a lot of ships did back in the day. I just made it a red coat ship for my fleet.

3. Brickbeards Bounty 

Very similar to Brick Bounty it looks also very realistic compared to historical ships. And even if a lot of people don't like the flag of the evil looking jolly roger flag. Even that variation is more historical correct as most pirates used different flags. The famous Blackbeard used a skeleton with red heards around. Very strange. So yep this flag is even not close that strange like real pirate flags. But as it is a big ship and have that similar style of the cabin I made also this ship to a red coat one.

4. Black Seas Barracuda

This one is classic. The biggest I had until 2010 and my favourite for a long time, as it was my first one. Quick, I was still 8 years old, I made it a blue coat ship. Nowit has brand new blue white sails and new blue coat minifigs as update. This ship will always have a special place in my childhood and in my heart. 

5. Caribbean Clipper

Decent blue coat ship but lacks of a real cabin made me change the sails and crew into pirates. Today I don't have it any more or I have to say I lost too many parts. Will be my next project to rebuild that one. As my pirates having a MOC one in the size of BB or BBB, this will be added to the blue coat fleet...

6. Imperial Flagship 1992

It was my second soldier ship and for a long time my only red coat ship. As the red coats are really typical British and they ruled the waves for centuries, I hated thatvit was that small. But the classic look, the amazing sails (best lego ever did for a ship and most realistic of them all) did it for me. The ugly and real unrealistic design of the Skulls Eye Schooner made me just buying this one in that time. I did not want a big Pirate ship and especially not one that was that ugly. Red, mixed with green. A lot of white too. That's why this Imperial Flagship became my absolute favourite from the 90s.

7. Renegade Runner 

Yeah you read right. It lacks a lot extras but is historically the most accurate pirate ship as most pirate ships was exactly that size and shape. I know for romantic fans of pirates and children too small because it can't compete with soldier ships, but that was the way it used to be. The design is classy too. 

8. Armada Flagship

I end my list with 8 and here. I don't like the white and bright colours on it. Especially as white painted ships appeared centuries later, but historical accuracy was never Legos priority. The design and especially the mini figs do it for this set. I can exchange the hull parts and stuff to make it more classic and will add it to the fleet. Maybe if no Armada will be released I will make two and let the Spanish with the French / my blue coats battle my British Fleet as repeat of Trafalgar... But in my world the Spanish and French won't be destroyed that easy like in 1805. :-) 

 

I don't list the Skulls Eye Schooner and Red Beards Runner as the colours went out of any style with white, red, green and collapsing masts, doors like farm houses and other stuff just didn't work for me. That colours are so awful used here in my opinion. 

Let's make one comment for ranking the last of my list, and most of yours, the Crossbone Clipper. What a shame. Green hull parts to Brown, red, white, really? Even if it is historical (not by the colours) more realistic than all the big Pirate ships, it looks just awful. I don't get along with the colours on one side, but the lack of all extras or design elements that could boost the style or look are missing completely. My 5 year old sun can make a more beautiful small ship than this one. And he already did. Sorry Lego but this set is one of the worst I have ever seen. Glad that my lego time was already over and I saw it just on pictures and in a friends house, so don't have to be confrontated too much with this "Eye bleed"...

A picture of my top 3:

Edited October 5, 2018 by DonRamon1981