Dreamweb

I don't think that the piece count is really a problem in the remake category. After all, doesn't the new Eldorado Fortress have a lot more parts than the 1989 original set?

I've seen the old version and the new one is definitely an improvement. This small set was quite strange to begin with, although a great army builder. I know the tan plates are just background, but you should consider making a proper (small) baseplate for the gun cart. That would make it an even bigger improvement over the old set. Tan is good as it represents sand, so I would add some terrain, nothing big, a small hill perhaps. Plus some plants here and there. Maybe make the base less regular, not two identical plates but more like a random pile of sand. That would actually turn this into a real set, as 1970 was just a parts pack with very little actual structure.

Well, this is quite an upgrade of the classic set, but nonetheless it's recognisable and the source of inspiration is clear to me. I would add some plantlife to it. I know the original did not have any, but that's what remakes are for. A palm tree or some bushes would fill the empty areas at the back, on the tan-coloured ground. Also, while the set did not have a cannon, I would consider putting at least one here. This is because your building is much larger than the original and therefore needs to be more armed. I like it very much that you've made the roof wider and turned the arch thing connecting both buildings into an actual bridge. The stairs are a great addition too. This adds plenty of playability to the whole thing and makes all parts of it accessible to the soldiers with no need to climb the walls. The upgraded tan sand is much more realistic than the original yellow. Overall, this remake pays tribute to the original, but presents a much better model itself.

I don't think remakes have to look like official sets. Many of the remakes posted as examples in the main contest thread absolutely do not look like official sets. I think this rule should apply to the 'suggest a new set' category only. This having been said, I still think this one would pass as a real set. I like what you have done here. The original set was very small and this is a pretty decent expansion. The palm trees look good and I like it that one of them is almost lying in the water. The rocks look massive and sturdy. The cave entrance looks quite realistic. My only suggestion would be to add more water around it and maybe some waves. Then again I understand that you wanted to focus on the island. Some animals would be good too. I don't see any. A crab perhaps? Anyway, it's a nice-looking smallish island and I would buy this as a set.

Well, this does look like the Orient Expedition ship mixed with the Imperial Trading Post vessel, and the brick-built sails also give it a bit of the Creator Pirate Ship feel. The Orient Expedition ship was actually my first new LEGO set after a long hiatus, and I still like the set. I really like that you managed to put so many things on a ship this size: a ladder, an anchor complete with its mechanism, a cargo hold, and even a small captain's cabin. The way you've managed to use the available space is truly top-notch. My favourite part is definitely the stern with the golden ornamentation. Also, I think that using black inverted slopes to make the ship a bit wider was a clever and necessary idea. I would actually consider improving two things in your creation. First, the brick-built sail could use some tiles to make it smoother, at least on one side. Second, I would suggest replacing the large cannon with several smaller ones, custom-built. The cannon looks a bit too large for a vessel this size. Anyway, it's a very good-looking small ship which fits well with the Classic Pirates line!

I'm pretty sure I will get the boat, so no, not just the two of you.

Count me in!

Somehow I was unaware of this theme until yesterday when I saw it in the new catalogue. Obviously I'm not the target either and I am vaguely familiar with the show (my daughter does watch this sometimes). However, I think those look really good and I'm actually considering at least getting the one with the boat. I hope the ears are detachable!

Well, the rules do say this: So I think an imaginary 1998 set would fit quite well. I am considering participating in the contest myself. Not sure I will be able to find the time right now though.

Thanks! That is true; however, it is possible to build a custom centre section for the black/dark grey hull. That's exactly what I did for my pirate ship Juggernaut a few years ago. This is a recent picture from an exhibition which shows how this was accomplished (picture taken by Jerac who is also a member here ).

I must say, it is not what I had expected. I thought the new Eldorado Fortress would be to the old Eldorado Fortress what the 10210 Imperial Flagship was to the 6271 Imperial Flagship. Same name, but a lot bigger, improved, etc. Well instead we are getting a remake of sorts, with new parts and obviously without the raised baseplate. I will most likely get it anyway, though it feels too similar to the old one, and thus also brings back the memories of numerous Eldorado Fortress-based MOCs and MODs we saw here over the years. I like the way it unfolds into a long structure instead of the default square shape. If I get it, the unfolded version will probably be my 'official' one, just to make it look more different from the original EF which I also have (albeit disassembled).

I agree. Well, a lot of us Pirate fans use at the very least custom sails and ropes for their ships, which are not genuine LEGO either. This is quite customary and nobody is making any fuss about it. I remember seeing a used clone-brand pirate ship at a local marketplace. It had a hull similar, but not identical to the narrower hulls from classic Pirate sets. It was black or dark grey, not sure now. I did not buy it on the grounds that it was not original LEGO. Sometimes I regret this desicion. If anything, it would make my fleet look more diverse.

Not quite. LEGO itself is a clone-of-sorts of Kiddicraft (which was settled legally AFAIK).

That's a rather long story. But the short version is quite simple-I was too occupied with other things in my life, so I resigned. The decision was my own. I just could not find enough time to do this in a manner in which I would enjoy it.

Thanks mate! The hull is quite sturdy, in fact more than I expected. The masts not so much, especially the main mast which is the first thing to fall during transport by car, or while carrying the ship over longer distances. Well, she did survive two exhibitions already, one of which was in another city, and while some repairs were needed after the journey, I always managed to put her back together. Thanks! The hull is challenging, but may be very rewarding if you have enough bricks to fill it. One middle section definitely makes it look too short (like in the original set 7075 from which it originated). Two middle sections are better, and I used three of them, which gave her nice proportions IMO. I definitely recommend this hull for MOCing! I knew a Classic-Pirates blogger once... Oh wait, it was me!

Thanks! This is a really underestimated hull in my opinion. Yes it comes from a subpar 4+ set, but come on, the hull itself gives you great building possibilities! You can only go bigger than that with brick-built hulls. Thanks mate! I always try to make my ships as accessible on the inside as possible. Sometimes this requires a trade-off of sorts, as I was unable to put as much rigging as I had initially planned - but that would make the modular structure of the ship impossible, as it would be harder to, e.g. remove the top of the bow to access the capstan and the sleeping quarters, and so on. By the way, she's already been to her first LEGO exhibition, and this weekend she's setting sail for another one!

I just want to add that while I was at a LEGO exhibition last weekend, I talked to a guy who knows people at LEGO, and he said yes, the set is definitely coming.

Hello there! As always, it’s been some time since I posted my previous ship. However, this time I have a good excuse. I really needed some time to build this new ship, since it is my largest ship to date, in fact-my largest standalone LEGO MOC ever. So now is finally the time to show her to you: THE ELIMINATOR, built for my redcoats. The ship uses the hull from the set 7075 with three middle sections. This really gives you a lot of space to fill with bricks! She measures approximately 115 cm in length and 83 cm in height. The ship has 24 guns placed on two decks-enough to make any enemy vessels reconsider engaging them in battle. Some shots of the upper decks. . . Now let’s take a look inside, shall we? The lower decks can be easily accessed by removing sections of the upper decks. Technically, the lowermost deck is located below the hatches in the gun deck. Here you can see one of them opened, with a ladder going down. Due to the construction of the hull piece mould, it should rather be considered storage space, as it is quite limited and actually hard to place a minifig down there. Also-GUNS! The white door leads to sleeping quarters for the crew. . . And here they are. Remember the hammocks? They are back! This is the sternward section of the lower gun deck with another hatch to the lowest deck/storage. The door on the other hand leads to another room. . . . . .and it's the brig with a captured bluecoat soldier! This white door leads to the balcony at the stern of the ship; you could see it in one of the previous pictures. Now, in the foracastle of the ship, above the crew quarters, we have the anchor mechanism. On the other hand, in the stern section of the ship, we have the galley. . . . . .and finally, the captain's cabin! So that's it. This was my third ship made using those big hull pieces, but as mentioned earlier, it's the biggest. It was a really long and exhausting build, but I guess it was worth the time and effort. If you have any questions, feel free to ask! And one more thing, I have just uploaded her to my Instagram account, so I'd appreciate any comments there too: https://www.instagram.com/p/CsTEQzjLyn1/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet

The QAR was a pretty decent set. The only PotC ship which I actually bought. I skipped the Black Pearl which was a bit disappointing.

Upon closer inspection, the Nightmare Shark Ship is a 2 in 1 set: The alt build has wheels: However, there is also a picture of the 'basic' version which is the starting point for making both alternative versions, and this is probably my favourite one (I would just add the sails from the 'main' build): You can also see that the hull has some rather large stickers.

Agreed. I'm not a PotC fan myself. However, this is just an objective observation. It does have a bit of a similar feel to the Silent Mary set, which I was never interested in to be honest. But this one is a bit more appealing to me. I'll just wait and see if I want to get it or not. Still hoping the Eldorado Fortress remake will be the set we are all waiting for though.

If you disregard the engine-like thingy, this actually looks like something which might appear in Pirates of the Caribbean.

Well, now that the leaks are out, it turns out I was more or less right about 71469 Nightmare Shark Ship. And it's actually NIGHTmare, not KNIGHTmare. While it's not a typical Pirate ship, I might actually consider getting it.

Good one! Those old commercials were great!

Aaand red and white stripes again! Is LEGO obsessed with those sail colours? It may be a good thing though, might fit nicely as the smallest topmost sail on a ship, combined with some of the older sails.