[ENTRY] 6267 Lagoon Lock-Up/Soldiers’ Tavern Remake

[Aanchir]

Here’s my attempt at updating 6267 Lagoon Lock-Up/Soldiers’ Tavern in the style of Barracuda Bay and Eldorado Fortress! Like those sets, I tried to keep this model close to the original set’s color scheme and "footprint", while adding more textural detail, play features, furnishings, and accessories.

Decades ago, this seaside tavern was a popular gathering place for soldiers, merchant sailors, and even pirates — although those who spoke TOO freely about their extralegal exploits would often face a grueling detention in the nearby village lock-up.

Now, 22 years later, the tavern has been renovated with breezy outdoor seating for its patrons, a stew stove to prepare hot meals, and high-quality pewter, brass, and ceramic tableware. On a good day, the tavern-keeper leaves with a full coin purse when it comes time to lock up!

Meanwhile, the imperial soldiers have converted that meager jail cell into a customs impound for all the valuable contraband they’ve seized from local smugglers: molasses, tea leaves, and even gold bullion. Trade goods as fine as these are of course a tempting target for any number of scoundrels and sea raiders…

But later tonight, Captain Will and his young protégé Middy Mae also have their sights on another prize: a map to the fabled pirate refuge, Barracuda Bay. In the meantime, they're counting on the tavern keeper to keep the imperial officer distracted with food, drink, and gossip… and hoping that pesky seagull’s squawking won’t draw the attention of the soldiers keeping watch from the rooftop!

While law-abiding sailors are welcome to moor their boats at the dock out front, Will’s learned not to take his chances around these snooping soldiers. His trusty catboat is waiting for his return along a nearby coast if he needs to make a quick getaway!

Hope you enjoy this MOC! Nautical builds are not my forte, but since the new Eldorado Fortress set and some of the other creative contest entries here on Eurobricks entries in this contest had me feeling so inspired, I figured I might as well try my hand at updating a classic Pirates set. And honestly, I’m proud that I was able to come up with this in just a couple months, especially since it’s been a few years since the last time I finished a MOC to my satisfaction. In any case, I’m eager to hear what this forum’s more experienced sailors think of it!

Edited August 18, 2023 by Aanchir

[Yperio_Bricks]

This is fantastic Finally we get a updated Lagoon Lock-Up for the contest! I love that you added more space to the front docks so there is room for a table and the secret hiding place. The iconic yellow front with the red and blue canopy really pops. There is a nice interiour and a great minifig selection. That pirate with the red scarf really looks like he will be the hero of the story. I am not so much a fan of brickbuild sail, but you nailed it. I am so enthusiastic now haha. I'll have to vote for this

[MstrOfPppts]

Another set remake that looks almost too identical to the original. But on a closer inspection it shows how almost every single piece is very cleverly represented by a more modern version. I really like what you did with the interior and the extra fig fits in there just perfectly. Gives it a more civil vibe with a tavern of a kind rather then just the good old pirates vs soldiers. The hidden area is another nice upgrade and adds a lot to the playability. Also like the design of the boat with the Overwatch gun!

An excellent entry though I wouldn't be me if I didn't ask for a brown pier, would I? And the same goes for the mast. Trust me LEGO would have done it back in the day if only they had produced enough plates and bricks in brown by the time. And a fabric sail would benefit the looks of the whole thing as well.

[TheCosmicTravelers]

I love it, especially the interior!  I also like the tiller on the catboat.

I disagree with the use of brown to replace black. Brown may work for natural/unaged wood, but exposed wood often does not stay brown unless treated or lacquered. For something like a dock and masts, I imagine the wood would have been regularly tarred or painted for protection so black may actually be more 'realistic'.

[Aanchir]

21 hours ago, Yperio_Bricks said:

This is fantastic Finally we get a updated Lagoon Lock-Up for the contest! I love that you added more space to the front docks so there is room for a table and the secret hiding place. The iconic yellow front with the red and blue canopy really pops. There is a nice interiour and a great minifig selection. That pirate with the red scarf really looks like he will be the hero of the story. I am not so much a fan of brickbuild sail, but you nailed it. I am so enthusiastic now haha. I'll have to vote for this

Thanks so much for your kind comments and support!

I dunno if perhaps I made it too subtle, but Captain Will is meant to be an older version of Bo'sun Will, the young LEGO Pirates protagonist who was held captive in the original set! While deciding whether to include Redbeard or a new pirate captain character, I realized that this was a perfect opportunity to address Will's absence from "Pirates of Barracuda Bay" and give a taste of the life he's made for himself over the years.

I would have preferred a fabric sail for the catboat as well, but my physical LEGO collection is somewhat limited since I moved in with my wife (most of my previous collection is still back home with my parents where there's more space), so a digital entry was my only option — and it seemed more practical to build a sail within the deadline than to try and create a custom one on Stud.io Part Designer or figure out how to import one from Ldraw.

18 hours ago, MstrOfPppts said:

Another set remake that looks almost too identical to the original. But on a closer inspection it shows how almost every single piece is very cleverly represented by a more modern version. I really like what you did with the interior and the extra fig fits in there just perfectly. Gives it a more civil vibe with a tavern of a kind rather then just the good old pirates vs soldiers. The hidden area is another nice upgrade and adds a lot to the playability. Also like the design of the boat with the Overwatch gun!

An excellent entry though I wouldn't be me if I didn't ask for a brown pier, would I? And the same goes for the mast. Trust me LEGO would have done it back in the day if only they had produced enough plates and bricks in brown by the time. And a fabric sail would benefit the looks of the whole thing as well.

Thanks! I felt like since the British name for the set was "Soldiers' Tavern", the furnishings ought to reflect that a bit more than they did in the original set, which only really had a very small bar counter and a couple goblets.

I definitely understand your preference for a brown pier and mast, but I wanted to try and stick close to the approach we've seen with official "throwback" sets like PoBB, Eldorado Fortress, and Forest Hideout, which all kept their color schemes relatively close to those of their classic counterparts. Moreover, since there aren't really any other large black areas in this set, I was worried that changing the dock to a brighter color might throw off the look of the entire model.

I do wish I could have included a fabric sail, though!

11 hours ago, TheCosmicTravelers said:

I love it, especially the interior!  I also like the tiller on the catboat.

I disagree with the use of brown to replace black. Brown may work for natural/unaged wood, but exposed wood often does not stay brown unless treated or lacquered. For something like a dock and masts, I imagine the wood would have been regularly tarred or painted for protection so black may actually be more 'realistic'.

Yeah, this is also my take on the black docks and masts in this MOC and sets like Eldorado Fortress… it's close enough to the look of freshly tarred wood that it doesn't feel strictly unrealistic, just somewhat stylized at most. In a practical sense, it also contrasts nicely with accessories like wooden barrels or crates.

I do think that if I were modernizing a set like Skull Island or Treasure Chest, I would probably replace the grey pier with Sand Yellow, as LEGO did with the Barracuda's upper deck in PoBB — particularly since grey is used extensively for stone elsewhere in those sets. Even if an aged/weathered wooden pier might look grey in real life, I feel like using different colors of brick for different materials can be helpful for clarity's sake.

I'm glad you like the tiller! I felt like a rudder would be a little more fitting for this sort of catboat than a pair of oars like the original set included, especially since that rear clip on the boat was otherwise unused. But it was surprisingly difficult to come up with a design that would not collide with the back wall of the boat or impede turning!

My initial thought was to use a butcher knife/cleaver for the rudder, as the shape and size seemed pretty much ideal, but alas — even that slight inward curve of the back edge would collide with the back surface of the boat and stress the parts.  There really isn't much clearance between that surface and the neighboring clip.

[Yperio_Bricks]

3 hours ago, Aanchir said:

I would have preferred a fabric sail for the catboat as well, but my physical LEGO collection is somewhat limited since I moved in with my wife (most of my previous collection is still back home with my parents where there's more space), so a digital entry was my only option — and it seemed more practical to build a sail within the deadline than to try and create a custom one on Stud.io Part Designer or figure out how to import one from Ldraw.

The brickbuild sail looks quite good actually because you built it sideways and there is no exposed backside. And it fits in nicely between the booms.

[Mazin]

Awesome work, truly impressive remake. Given a chance to spot both version in a toyshop i would probably hae doubts which one should i chose ( guess i'd have to take both ;) ). One simple thing that makes Your design more appealing is that table, brilliant! What an addition! Simple element that gives it so much more charm and play value. I'm already imagining all those scenarios that i could it for. And other features are outstanding too. Een the seagull is a nice touch, and it's nest makes it look even more friendly.

I'll redo that boat tho, it looks good on the first pic, but upon reviewing it on other photos/renders it's quite weird actually, i wouldn't mind that unorthodox sail, but it's a bit thick for my taste, and the mast seems too fat as well, it's not appriopriate for thise size of a vessel ;) Not happy about that gun on the bow of the boat either, it looks like taken out of Space sets realy. And the rudder could be definitely done better, we've had some entries with nice boats and i guess You could borrow this particular element from them :) Perhaps their masts could be inspiring as well.   

[_R_R_]

I've just seen it now and wow I absolutely love it, I think it's my favorite from the smaller/medium sized set entries, perfectly captures the classic feel in the updated remake style TLG is currently using. The addition of the nest, seagull and all the new extra details like the tavern details and hidden treasure just make it even better for me. I don't really have any complaints so no suggestions for me just a bravo my friend, definitely in my top 3 entries! 

[durazno33]

I saw the picture and new exactly which set this was a remake of so good job on that. I love all the great details including adding the shop keeper.  I like that you curved the water base and color mixed the bricks to show wear. I like that you have a nice full treasure room. Those chairs are also a great addition. My one critic would be that the fire doesn't have a chimney. Yes, the window could be opened to vent the smoke but the fabric canopy above the window would quickly change colors and possibly burn. Maybe add a small chimney? Or just leave that to the imagination. ;) Well done on this build!

[Aanchir]

On 8/20/2023 at 7:47 AM, Mazin said:

Awesome work, truly impressive remake. Given a chance to spot both version in a toyshop i would probably hae doubts which one should i chose ( guess i'd have to take both ;) ). One simple thing that makes Your design more appealing is that table, brilliant! What an addition! Simple element that gives it so much more charm and play value. I'm already imagining all those scenarios that i could it for. And other features are outstanding too. Een the seagull is a nice touch, and it's nest makes it look even more friendly.

I'll redo that boat tho, it looks good on the first pic, but upon reviewing it on other photos/renders it's quite weird actually, i wouldn't mind that unorthodox sail, but it's a bit thick for my taste, and the mast seems too fat as well, it's not appriopriate for thise size of a vessel ;) Not happy about that gun on the bow of the boat either, it looks like taken out of Space sets realy. And the rudder could be definitely done better, we've had some entries with nice boats and i guess You could borrow this particular element from them :) Perhaps their masts could be inspiring as well.   

Fair points all around! I felt like this gun/blaster piece was simple enough to work as a basic building element (similar to the old school "space gun" being used for torches in the classic sets), but I can understand why you disagree. Perhaps I'd have been better off using a less detailed gun/weapon piece like 15071 or 24144 to attach the bowsprit at this same angle, but I opted for the Overwatch gun mold because it was narrower/more compact, which felt fitting for such a small boat.

I get your point about the mast and sail also (I wish I had the time and patience to figure out how to import/design a fabric sail for stud.io). For the mast my thinking was just "okay, if this is a smaller boat than the one in Eldorado Fortress, it needs at least a slightly narrower mast". But if I weren't stuck using brick-built sail, I probably would've gone for an even narrower mast using the candle piece and other connectors with a similar diameter. As it is, making the spars narrower would have made the thickness of the sail even more obvious.

I would love to improve the rudder too, but I would feel bad about borrowing building techniques from other people's contest entries at this point — even if it's technically allowed, it would sort of like cheating to me. 

If I ever end up getting the parts to make this in real life (ideally with either a fabric sail piece from an official set or a custom fabric sail), I will definitely think about making changes/improvements in these areas!

On 8/20/2023 at 2:02 PM, _R_R_ said:

I've just seen it now and wow I absolutely love it, I think it's my favorite from the smaller/medium sized set entries, perfectly captures the classic feel in the updated remake style TLG is currently using. The addition of the nest, seagull and all the new extra details like the tavern details and hidden treasure just make it even better for me. I don't really have any complaints so no suggestions for me just a bravo my friend, definitely in my top 3 entries! 

Wow, thank you! This is very high praise!

Truth be told, I was kind of worried about whether other LEGO Pirates fans would like my model, especially since a lot of the discussions I see in this forum show a far higher level of technical and historical knowledge about the Age of Sail than I have. I can't tell you how many Wikipedia and Google searches I did while working on this model (and other LEGO Pirates MOCs I currently have in the works) to try and make sure any changes or additions I made would still feel period-accurate! And I still end up having to pull up Wikipedia to double-check my terminology sometimes when talking about specific parts of a boat/ship or other such details.

17 hours ago, durazno33 said:

I saw the picture and new exactly which set this was a remake of so good job on that. I love all the great details including adding the shop keeper.  I like that you curved the water base and color mixed the bricks to show wear. I like that you have a nice full treasure room. Those chairs are also a great addition. My one critic would be that the fire doesn't have a chimney. Yes, the window could be opened to vent the smoke but the fabric canopy above the window would quickly change colors and possibly burn. Maybe add a small chimney? Or just leave that to the imagination. ;) Well done on this build!

Thanks so much!

It honestly took me a LOT of time to figure out what sort of fixtures/appliances to include for cooked food. The original set not only lacked any obvious chimney, it didn't even have any large, solid walls to attach one to (since all the walls were used for doors or windows)! I knew this would make it difficult to include either a traditional open hearth or a cast-iron wood stove (which were a relatively new and high-tech invention at the time, but rather large and cumbersome as a result) unless I expanded the model a great deal.

In the end, I opted for a potager/stew stove, a type of stone or brick cooking fixture that became popular in France and the American colonies in the 18th century, but was relatively low-tech — and more importantly, didn't need to be connected to a chimney! This also seems to be the type of stove that appears in the new Eldorado Fortress, although that one has a larger 2x4 footprint as opposed the 1x3 footprint of the one I built for the tavern.

Potager stoves typically burned charcoal instead of wood, which meant they produced far less smoke than a cooking hearth or wood stove. And as a bonus, indoor ones were often built near windows to vent the smoke and other vapors they DID produce — making them a great fit for a historic building like this one with very little wall space, but a surplus of windows!

You do have a good point about the fabric canopy. Honestly, I had a hard enough time even finding any definitive information on whether fabric awnings existed in the 18th century. I ultimately gave up pursuing that line of inquiry, figuring that if an awning was good enough for the original LEGO Pirates set designers, it was good enough for me.  Even so, perhaps it would have been wiser for me to put the china and silverware cupboards next to the front railing instead of behind the counter, and placed the stove in place of the railing on the far left side of the building… it seems you've definitely given me something to think about for the future!

That said, at this point, so close to the contest deadline, I'm not too keen on making substantial changes like that (particularly since it took quite a while for me to render the images I have up above). If anything, I'd rather use that remaining time trying to create an entry for the "mini set" category, since I've felt really inspired by the creativity of some of the entries other people have built for that category!

Thanks for the great feedback!

Edited August 21, 2023 by Aanchir

[Rogue Redcoat]

This looks great  my only suggestions are adding a crab and perhaps a parrot like the original. The rest of the building looks great (Now I need to know the part number for those seats) As for the boat, I like the sail but logistically can the sail be attached to the boom or would it be liable to fall off, as for the gun on the front Im quite unsure what it is a gun or a figurehead? Anyway I love that tree it does not look half empty like some others, so happy building :)

[Mazin]

38 minutes ago, Aanchir said:

Fair points all around! I felt like this gun/blaster piece was simple enough to work as a basic building element (similar to the old school "space gun" being used for torches in the classic sets), but I can understand why you disagree. Perhaps I'd have been better off using a less detailed gun/weapon piece like 15071 or 24144 to attach the bowsprit at this same angle, but I opted for the Overwatch gun mold because it was narrower/more compact, which felt fitting for such a small boat.

I get your point about the mast and sail also (I wish I had the time and patience to figure out how to import/design a fabric sail for stud.io). For the mast my thinking was just "okay, if this is a smaller boat than the one in Eldorado Fortress, it needs at least a slightly narrower mast". But if I weren't stuck using brick-built sail, I probably would've gone for an even narrower mast using the candle piece and other connectors with a similar diameter. As it is, making the spars narrower would have made the thickness of the sail even more obvious.

I would love to improve the rudder too, but I would feel bad about borrowing building techniques from other people's contest entries at this point — even if it's technically allowed, it would sort of like cheating to me. 

If I ever end up getting the parts to make this in real life (ideally with either a fabric sail piece from an official set or a custom fabric sail), I will definitely think about making changes/improvements in these areas!

Wow, thank you! This is very high praise!

Truth be told, I was kind of worried about whether other LEGO Pirates fans would like my model, especially since a lot of the discussions I see in this forum show a far higher level of technical and historical knowledge about the Age of Sail than I have. I can't tell you how many Wikipedia and Google searches I did while working on this model (and other LEGO Pirates MOCs I currently have in the works) to try and make sure any changes or additions I made would still feel period-accurate! And I still end up having to pull up Wikipedia to double-check my terminology sometimes when talking about specific parts of a boat/ship or other such details.

Thanks so much!

It honestly took me a LOT of time to figure out what sort of fixtures/appliances to include for cooked food. The original set not only lacked any obvious chimney, it didn't even have any large, solid walls to attach one to (since all the walls were used for doors or windows)! I knew this would make it difficult to include either a traditional open hearth or a cast-iron wood stove (which were a relatively new and high-tech invention at the time, but rather large and cumbersome as a result) unless I expanded the model a great deal.

In the end, I opted for a potager/stew stove, a type of stone or brick cooking fixture that became popular in France and the American colonies in the 18th century, but was relatively low-tech — and more importantly, didn't need to be connected to a chimney! This also seems to be the type of stove that appears in the new Eldorado Fortress, although that one has a larger 2x4 footprint as opposed the 1x3 footprint of the one I built for the tavern.

Potager stoves typically burned charcoal instead of wood, which meant they produced far less smoke than a cooking hearth or wood stove. And as a bonus, indoor ones were often built near windows to vent the smoke and other vapors they DID produce — making them a great fit for a historic building like this one with very little wall space, but a surplus of windows!

You do have a good point about the fabric canopy. Honestly, I had a hard enough time even finding any definitive information on whether fabric awnings existed in the 18th century. I ultimately gave up pursuing that line of inquiry, figuring that if an awning was good enough for the original LEGO Pirates set designers, it was good enough for me.  Even so, perhaps it would have been wiser for me to put the china and silverware cupboards next to the front railing instead of behind the counter, and placed the stove in place of the railing on the far left side of the building… it seems you've definitely given me something to think about for the future!

That said, at this point, so close to the contest deadline, I'm not too keen on making substantial changes like that (particularly since it took quite a while for me to render the images I have up above). If anything, I'd rather use that remaining time trying to create an entry for the "mini set" category, since I've felt really inspired by the creativity of some of the entries other people have built for that category!

Thanks for the great feedback!

Oh yeah, damn, i didn't realize that mast's thickness might be reasoned by Your sail's build, i should have figured that out. But i'm only a simple humanist, not an engineer ;) So You absolutely have a point here. 

[iragm]

On 8/19/2023 at 1:06 PM, Aanchir said:

Captain Will is meant to be an older version of Bo'sun Will

This was clear to me from the beginning -- I am not particularly familiar with the pirates lore, but to me this is a wonderful touch.

On 8/19/2023 at 4:31 PM, Yperio_Bricks said:

The brickbuild sail looks quite good actually because you built it sideways and there is no exposed backside. And it fits in nicely between the booms.

Agreed!  Shockingly nice work, it's so clean and well-shaped.  Masterfully done!  And I say this as someone who does not particularly like brick-built sails.

On 8/19/2023 at 12:43 AM, TheCosmicTravelers said:

I also like the tiller on the catboat

I feel like the final rudder/tiller design used by @Marooned Marin on the Sloop Windy is actually a bit stronger than this.  But, yes, this is decent for sure.  To be honest, the boat is the weakest part of this design, and that's saying something...

I was about to question the use of black ingot tiles on the dock -- they look like a trip hazard -- but then I see that one of them makes a handle for the secret area, so they are fine.  The secret area makes me think of 6263 Imperial Outpost, in a good way.  Very nice design that captures the classic pirates spirit.

The minifigures are wonderful, although I am not sure how I feel about the red scarf, it would be hot and itchy in the Caribbean sun, wouldn't it?  The images are well rendered and the figures posed perfectly in each.  That takes a lot of effort that many people simply wouldn't go to.

Many wonderful techniques are captured here, and I'm afraid people are overlooking them.  It took me a long time to figure out how you rigged the gaff halyard through the mast, only to realize that you've used two separate rope bricks.  The kitchen with the cups hanging up, the chairs (which I still can't figure out, it's part 41682 with what...?), the bird's nest, the palm tree, which looks to be your own design, or at least not something I've seen before, it's all just great!

So much about this build captures the spirit of the original while using modern parts.  The change in the awnings from slope bricks to inverted curved bricks is maybe the best example of this.  Well done.  This entry will have one of my 3 votes, I think.  I hope it ends up on Rebrickable so I can build it for myself.

[_R_R_]

On 8/21/2023 at 8:39 PM, Aanchir said:

Wow, thank you! This is very high praise!

Truth be told, I was kind of worried about whether other LEGO Pirates fans would like my model, especially since a lot of the discussions I see in this forum show a far higher level of technical and historical knowledge about the Age of Sail than I have. I can't tell you how many Wikipedia and Google searches I did while working on this model (and other LEGO Pirates MOCs I currently have in the works) to try and make sure any changes or additions I made would still feel period-accurate! And I still end up having to pull up Wikipedia to double-check my terminology sometimes when talking about specific parts of a boat/ship or other such details.

I wouldn't worry too much about historical accuracy when it comes to this contest. Pirates fans can be very particular about those things and the terminology, period accuracy, colors and whatnot but TLG doesn't which is why El Dorado isn't just plain grey bricks and Barracuda is an engineering miracle lol as long as you stick to their style and lore and make the set fun you have delivered on one of the things the contest asks of you and you my friend delivered!

[Aanchir]

On 8/21/2023 at 3:51 PM, Rogue Redcoat said:

This looks great  my only suggestions are adding a crab and perhaps a parrot like the original. The rest of the building looks great (Now I need to know the part number for those seats) As for the boat, I like the sail but logistically can the sail be attached to the boom or would it be liable to fall off, as for the gun on the front Im quite unsure what it is a gun or a figurehead? Anyway I love that tree it does not look half empty like some others, so happy building :)

Thanks a lot for your feedback!

A crab or other small sea/land critter is a great suggestion, and I'm honestly surprised that never occurred to me!. A parrot could also be nice, but I opted to replace it with a seagull for several reasons. For one thing, I was trying as much as possible to avoid features that would feel like repeats of stuff in Eldorado Fortress, which already had a parrot. Additionally, I have a strong personal preference for LEGO animals with printed eyes similar to those of minifigs, which are sadly absent from both the classic and modern LEGO parrot, so I felt a seagull would be a better fit for that "modern" look I was going for.

I definitely hope that in the future LEGO will introduce a new parrot mold with printed eyes — and perhaps even with two-color molding for the feet and beak like the bird mold used for Pepper the parakeet from LEGO Friends and Diablo the Raven from LEGO Disney Princess!

I'm glad that both you and @iragm appreciate the chairs and palm tree, two details I'm very proud of! The chair legs are part 3131, introduced in this year's LEGO Minecraft sets. As soon as I first saw that piece in pictures of set 21246, I knew it would work great as the legs of a chair or end table, and was very excited to finally use it for that purpose here. As a bonus, it can sit on a studded surface either in line with the grid or at an angle (and even has a hollow stud on the underside if you want options for ways to securely hold it in place). Hopefully we will see more use of it in future sets, including more varied colors!

It's bothered me for a while that most "official" LEGO palm trees have such flat canopies — certainly, that can work for heavily stylized palm trees (I know a lot of video games that do this specifically so that the treetops can be used as platforms to walk on or jump to), but I wanted to try and come up with a way to "fluff out" the leaves more realistically without making the build too complex or costly. Ultimately I was able to come up with a 20-piece design (counting the pin/axle used to attach it to the base). The six "finger leaf" pieces are each attached by a 2x1 plate with vertical clip to a 3x3 Technic steering wheel.

The sail is attached securely to the boom using Technic pins, similar to how the sail in https://brickset.com/sets/40487-1/Sailboat-Adventure is attached to the mast. That set was actually my inspiration for this sail construction, since I had previously been struggling to come up with a brick-built sail design that would have the same sort of trapezoidal shape as the one from the original set but still retain its distinctive red and white stripes.

The front bit of the boat is just a short bowsprit. I'll try and come up with a better design so that will be a little clearer on any future boats of similar size that I build.

On 8/22/2023 at 2:16 PM, iragm said:

This was clear to me from the beginning -- I am not particularly familiar with the pirates lore, but to me this is a wonderful touch.

Agreed!  Shockingly nice work, it's so clean and well-shaped.  Masterfully done!  And I say this as someone who does not particularly like brick-built sails.

I feel like the final rudder/tiller design used by @Marooned Marin on the Sloop Windy is actually a bit stronger than this.  But, yes, this is decent for sure.  To be honest, the boat is the weakest part of this design, and that's saying something...

I was about to question the use of black ingot tiles on the dock -- they look like a trip hazard -- but then I see that one of them makes a handle for the secret area, so they are fine.  The secret area makes me think of 6263 Imperial Outpost, in a good way.  Very nice design that captures the classic pirates spirit.

The minifigures are wonderful, although I am not sure how I feel about the red scarf, it would be hot and itchy in the Caribbean sun, wouldn't it?  The images are well rendered and the figures posed perfectly in each.  That takes a lot of effort that many people simply wouldn't go to.

Many wonderful techniques are captured here, and I'm afraid people are overlooking them.  It took me a long time to figure out how you rigged the gaff halyard through the mast, only to realize that you've used two separate rope bricks.  The kitchen with the cups hanging up, the chairs (which I still can't figure out, it's part 41682 with what...?), the bird's nest, the palm tree, which looks to be your own design, or at least not something I've seen before, it's all just great!

So much about this build captures the spirit of the original while using modern parts.  The change in the awnings from slope bricks to inverted curved bricks is maybe the best example of this.  Well done.  This entry will have one of my 3 votes, I think.  I hope it ends up on Rebrickable so I can build it for myself.

Wow, thank you so much for the detailed feedback!

Sloop Windy is definitely a gorgeous design for a small sailboat, and I certainly wish I could have achieved such a high standard of detail with Will's catboat! I had previously considered using a 3 module bar as the axis of the tiller and rudder for this boat just as Sloop Windy did, but the main reason I opted against it is that if the tiller, rudder, and stern are all attached by clips along the same axis of rotation, then when you turn the tiller, the rudder is unlikely to move in sync with it (especially since the clip on the boat's stern has a larger surface area, and thus more friction, than the clips on the tiller and rudder). Attaching the tiller and rudder perpendicular to their axis of rotation solves this issue. But truth be told, I'm still not perfectly happy with the approach I settled on, especially since it limits the maximum rudder angle. Hopefully I can come up with something a little better in the future.

That is indeed the purpose of the black ingot tiles!  Originally, I had placed that Medium Nougat sack on trapdoor's front row of studs to serve as a handle, but I soon realized that doing that would make it look like the sack was defying gravity when the trapdoor was raised (and would also present questions of why Will and Mae didn't just move the sack to another part of the dock before lifting up the planks to make their work a little easier). Your comparison to the hiding place in Imperial Outpost is very apt, and I was probably at least a little bit inspired by that set, since it was the main imperial base in my childhood LEGO Pirates collection!

I'm not 100% sure how common a long scarf like this would be as pirate wear, but I was thinking of it as a thin and breathable material like silk (similar to a bandana, headscarf, or neckerchief) rather than the thicker materials like wool that would likely be used for a winter scarf. I used it mainly as a way to echo Will's bandana from the classic sets, while also giving him a sturdier leather hat as is expected for a LEGO pirate captain. Similarly, I chose this torso piece because it echoed Will's old red and white color scheme but added an impressive-looking coat.

I'd previously thought about using a Ninjago face mask and epaulets instead, but with a blue coat and epaulets he didn't stand out nearly as well from the imperial soldiers and officer… plus, I didn't care for how the face mask covered up his roguish grin. With this scarf piece I could add a similar splash of color while keeping his face exposed, and it also helps give Will's shoulders a strong and distinctive silhouette without the need for epaulets.

20 hours ago, _R_R_ said:

I wouldn't worry too much about historical accuracy when it comes to this contest. Pirates fans can be very particular about those things and the terminology, period accuracy, colors and whatnot but TLG doesn't which is why El Dorado isn't just plain grey bricks and Barracuda is an engineering miracle lol as long as you stick to their style and lore and make the set fun you have delivered on one of the things the contest asks of you and you my friend delivered!

Fair point! My main worry was that I'd slip up with some anachronistic detail that would be immediately obvious to dedicated LEGO Pirates fans, but I realize it's probably irrational to get too hung up on those worries… especially when so many of the accepted "standards" of pirate media (which LEGO Pirates sets tend to reflect) come from 19th-century literature and 20th-century films rather than by the historical realities of 18th-century piracy!

[Glowboy]

I love this, a perfect reimagining of the set with newer pieces! I really like how you did the exposed red brick, and the play features of the buried treasure!

[iragm]

1 hour ago, Aanchir said:

The six "finger leaf" pieces are each attached by a 2x1 plate with vertical clip to a 3x3 Technic steering wheel.

That is really clever.  I have seen a relatively common design with 4x part 30340 (life preserver) attached to a 1x1 with studs on all sides, but I think I like your design more.  Very very nice work here.

[Yperio_Bricks]

One more thing i want to add because i think the chance is here and now with @Aanchir's wonderful remake on the table (Btw Lego should just take this 1:1 and make it a set and i'd be multiples ). While Lagoon Lock-Up nowadays is my favorite Lego pirates set because it has flair and i like details like the blue and red sunroof, i always wondered what it is supposed to be in a greater scheme of things. Obviously it is a tavern, maybe next to the city wall or an imperial fortress. There is a gate between the buildings and the building on the right is a jail. But why the tavern has a wooden door and a window AND this opening at the front? I know in Spanish (colonial) style buildings may have plenty of such arched doorways at the front. Has someone ever thought about this too? Maybe it is supposed to be such a door or maybe i am just overthinking the matter  And where does the ally leads to? I know it can be anything but it's fun to speculate about it I always wondered how the set would look if you would treat it like a bigger modular building. Maybe i will try to build my take on this one day in the future. We'll see

[Aanchir]

On 8/23/2023 at 6:11 PM, Glowboy said:

I love this, a perfect reimagining of the set with newer pieces! I really like how you did the exposed red brick, and the play features of the buried treasure!

Thanks so much! I don't feel like I can take much credit for the exposed red brick, though, since that's a technique from Eldorado Fortress that I directly copied/imitated for this model — the only creativity or decision-making on my part was figuring out where to put the exposed bricks and what size/shape they should be so they'd feel relatively consistent/balanced but still seem "random" enough to seem like natural wear and tear.

Still, I'm glad glad you think i did a good job with that, and with the hidden treasure feature!

On 8/23/2023 at 6:30 PM, iragm said:

That is really clever.  I have seen a relatively common design with 4x part 30340 (life preserver) attached to a 1x1 with studs on all sides, but I think I like your design more.  Very very nice work here.

Yeah, I've seen that one before and it looks really nice, but I didn't want to use that here both because that approach usually has the life preservers attached to the "trunk" by a single stud on each side, and also usually requires way more "finger leaf" pieces per tree (for comparison, the version nicely demonstrated on this page calls for 20 finger leaf pieces, while my approach only needs 20 pieces for the entire tree). Neither of those aspects of the design felt to me like a good fit for MOCs that are supposed to be relatively "set-like".

I suppose that nowadays, the first issue could be easily addressed by attaching the life preservers to the trunk with part 68888 instead of part 4733. But I'm still glad i came up with a design with a much lower piece count, especially so it could be less expensive and parts-intensive for builds that require multiple palm trees!

On 8/28/2023 at 10:57 AM, Yperio_Bricks said:

One more thing i want to add because i think the chance is here and now with @Aanchir's wonderful remake on the table (Btw Lego should just take this 1:1 and make it a set and i'd be multiples ).

You flatter me! Honestly if I were even in a position for LEGO to consider making this a set, I hope they wouldn't keep it exactly as-is, because I'm sure some of their designers could do a great job coming up with solutions to things I struggled with — like giving the minifigs a convincing way to access the tavern rooftop, or figuring out a way for the model to combine with the modular segments of Eldorado Fortress without leaving a huge vertical gap between the walkways. Just earlier today I finally took the time to look through the other contest entries and submit my vote, and in some of those entries I've definitely seen building techniques that I wish I had thought of when working on mine!

That said, I appreciate that my entry is the sort of thing you think would make a good set, because that's definitely what I was aiming for!

On 8/28/2023 at 10:57 AM, Yperio_Bricks said:

While Lagoon Lock-Up nowadays is my favorite Lego pirates set because it has flair and i like details like the blue and red sunroof, i always wondered what it is supposed to be in a greater scheme of things. Obviously it is a tavern, maybe next to the city wall or an imperial fortress. There is a gate between the buildings and the building on the right is a jail. But why the tavern has a wooden door and a window AND this opening at the front? I know in Spanish (colonial) style buildings may have plenty of such arched doorways at the front. Has someone ever thought about this too? Maybe it is supposed to be such a door or maybe i am just overthinking the matter  And where does the ally leads to? I know it can be anything but it's fun to speculate about it I always wondered how the set would look if you would treat it like a bigger modular building. Maybe i will try to build my take on this one day in the future. We'll see

I've always liked to imagine that the gate connects to a larger port town, and in the future I would definitely like to experiment with what sorts of models a town like that might include!

You're also very correct that the tavern's design isn't at all secure with so many big openings! For the purposes of this MOC, I like to imagine that the tavern keeper takes each day's earnings home with her when she closes up to make it less tempting for pirates to rob the place (and the china and silverware cabinets would probably have their own locks).

That said, a real tavern like this would probably have shutters of some kind attached to the archways on the front and left side so that they can be closed up not just for security at the end of the day, but also for any time a particularly nasty storm blows through (while still allowing plenty of light and ventilation to come in when the weather is warmer).

These sorts of compromises are often necessary when designing a building this compact, even if it isn't based on a specific classic set. I've learned from experience that a minifig-scale model of any sort of shop, house, or apartment can end up extremely ambitious in size and detail if you let yourself get too fixated on including every feature that a practical real-life version of it would need to have.

As far as sets are concerned, 21325 comes reasonably close to achieving that level of realism with minimal compromises — but even at such a large size, its occupants have to make do with an extremely austere lifestyle (especially when hunting and vegetable gardening become less productive in the cold winter months, since they lack the pantries, larders, and cellars of the medieval nobility).

That said, I would love to see your take on a bigger, more "realistic" modular-building sized take on this set someday! As challenging as it might be, I'm sure it will make for an extremely impressive build if you manage to pull it off. And that sort of thing will naturally be much more achievable outside the constraints of a contest deadline!

Edited September 8, 2023 by Aanchir

[Yperio_Bricks]

On 9/8/2023 at 11:18 PM, Aanchir said:

I've always liked to imagine that the gate connects to a larger port town, and in the future I would definitely like to experiment with what sorts of models a town like that might include!

I am dreaming of a pirate town myself. We see many modern towns and layouts, much thanks to the modular buildings and concept. It is much easier to get started and the layout is kind of predefined and roads connect everything. Still, people come up with unique and original ideas and mix sets and mocs or have mocs only. Just recently i found someone who builds a italian town with lots of mediterranean flair. But hardly anyone is working on such a city layout in an century other than the 20th century. I'd like to see and explore a modular pirate town or western town or medieval town or (adventurers) town in an early 1920s/30s setting. Maybe in some years i feel i have enough bricks to start such a pirate city myself Can't wait to see the results of your experiments! Btw do you plan to build your Lagoon Lock-Up with real bricks?

[thewatchman]

Will you be putting this up on rebrickable or anywhere? I’d love to own a copy for myself!

[Mr Maniac]

This is has gotta be one of my favorites from this summer's contest, probably in large part because of how closely it adheres to the current parts palette LEGO used for 10320 Eldorado Fortress. Definitely something that provides lots of inspiration to me for remaking Lagoon Lockup! Nicely done, @Aanchir!

[The Reader]

On 8/28/2023 at 4:57 PM, Yperio_Bricks said:

And where does the ally leads to?

 

On 9/8/2023 at 11:18 PM, Aanchir said:

I've always liked to imagine that the gate connects to a larger port town

Have a look at @TrikBrix 's video (just in case you didn't know it yet). He makes a suggestion for a rear build (starts at 4:42):

 

[Aanchir]

7 hours ago, Yperio_Bricks said:

I am dreaming of a pirate town myself. We see many modern towns and layouts, much thanks to the modular buildings and concept. It is much easier to get started and the layout is kind of predefined and roads connect everything. Still, people come up with unique and original ideas and mix sets and mocs or have mocs only. Just recently i found someone who builds a italian town with lots of mediterranean flair. But hardly anyone is working on such a city layout in an century other than the 20th century. I'd like to see and explore a modular pirate town or western town or medieval town or (adventurers) town in an early 1920s/30s setting. Maybe in some years i feel i have enough bricks to start such a pirate city myself Can't wait to see the results of your experiments!

I think the trickiest thing sometimes is coming up with urban buildings and scenery that will have fun potential for pirate/nautical stories on their own, especially since the further inland you go, the further you get from models that can interact directly with boats and ships, like docks, shipyards, and lighthouses.

Of the sorts of buildings previously seen in sets, taverns are an obvious staple of the pirate genre, jails are great for escape scenes, and colonial treasuries are an obvious target for pirate raids (since banking hadn't really caught on in the Americas at this point). Military forts and outposts also naturally serve as a base of operations for the pirates' law-abiding pursuers. But too much repetition of that same subject matter in a unified town display could get kinda boring, which is exactly why I didn't want this model's titular "lock-up" to be just a jail like the one in Eldorado Fortress, but smaller.

Outside of those options, an inn is also always a possibility, since this tavern is too small to include one. Market stalls are naturally also a good fit for any sort of historic setting (or even small-town modern settings). A smithy could be used to supply both pirates and soldiers with weapons, and a courthouse would create an opportunity for piracy trial scenes. And I suppose nearby, you could also build a public square with a stocks and pillory or even a gallows or gibbet, if you don't mind going in much darker and more morbid direction than LEGO would ever be likely to do in a set).

7 hours ago, Yperio_Bricks said:

Btw do you plan to build your Lagoon Lock-Up with real bricks? 

It would certainly be nice to — especially if I end up getting Eldorado Fortress, since then I could really start exploring possibilities for expanding it into a larger layout! But I'll admit, it isn't something I have planned for the immediate future, since my creative attention is admittedly divided between lots of different themes (and also since I still have to be selective about what LEGO stuff I have the money and space for).

7 hours ago, thewatchman said:

Will you be putting this up on rebrickable or anywhere? I’d love to own a copy for myself!

I don't have an account on Rebrickable and don't feel much like making one just for this MOC, but I suppose once the contest is over I could take some time to share the model file to my Google drive for other stud.io users to download and refer to, or perhaps even try making instructions on stud.io for the first time.

But for right now, I don't want to upload any new photos or references for this model just yet, since I don't really want to think about whether/how that might influence people's voting decisions.

3 hours ago, Mr Maniac said:

This is has gotta be one of my favorites from this summer's contest, probably in large part because of how closely it adheres to the current parts palette LEGO used for 10320 Eldorado Fortress. Definitely something that provides lots of inspiration to me for remaking Lagoon Lockup! Nicely done, @Aanchir!

Thanks!  It's definitely been an exciting surprise to see how popular/well-received this MOC has been in the contest, especially considering how many other extremely impressive entries it's competing against.

Truth be told, I was trying not to pay close attention to what votes have been cast — both to avoid influencing my own votes based on what other people were supporting and because I was a little afraid of getting too invested in how my model was doing, so I didn't realize that it was doing quite so well until I saw the voting update on the front page. So even after all the flattering comments, that came as kind of a shock to me!  

This certainly has me thinking more about spending more time on Pirates MOCs outside the contest, since it seems my lack of historical and nautical know-how is less of a liability for me than I thought it would be. And it's especially great to hear that it's inspired you to try coming up with your own remake of this set! Thanks for your kind words and for taking the time to comment!

43 minutes ago, The Reader said:

Have a look at @TrikBrix 's video (just in case you didn't know it yet). He makes a suggestion for a rear build (starts at 4:42)

Oh, neat! I explored the possibility of adding a separate back section for my version of the tavern to add stuff like a staircase, a bridge between the two rooftops, and potentially even a full hearth for cooking hot meals. But those efforts always ended up feeling like too much of a departure from the original set for my tastes, hence why I opted for the smaller stew-stove in the finished contest entry. But once the contest is over I may go back and take another shot at adding to or improving the tavern. I imagine I might fare quite a bit better with the benefit of all this feedback, a fresh perspective, and the lack of a strict deadline!

Edited September 12, 2023 by Aanchir

[iragm]

19 hours ago, Aanchir said:

I don't have an account on Rebrickable and don't feel much like making one just for this MOC, but I suppose once the contest is over I could take some time to share the model file to my Google drive for other stud.io users to download and refer to, or perhaps even try making instructions on stud.io for the first time. 

If you want, I'd be happy to create instructions from the .io file and add them to Rebrickable (for free, of course).  This design deserves to be a real model.