LEGO Look Back: Black Seas Barracuda

It’s a favourite of ours and apparently everyone else too. This week we’re looking at set 6285: Black Seas Barracuda. But what’s not to like about this Pirates set?

Captain Red Beard: “Will someone go up there and get Monkey down? He’s at it again with the loot. Remember what happened last time he got some loot and went on shore leave? We can’t even return to that island now. It took us three weeks to nurse Monkey back to health. I swear I’ll leave him on land this time.

“And you guys with the parking! Seriously, are we trying to walk up onto the beach from the deck? When tide goes out we are stranded for sure. AAAAAARRRRRGGGGGHHH. You guys are killing me. Stop running away! Just because I have a hook, a wooden leg and a patch does not mean I can’t catch you if I want to.

Parrot: AARRGGGHHH. AARRGGGHHH. You guys are killing me. AARRGGGHH.

Captain Red Beard: “What’s that you’re whispering over there? At least I can grow this red beard. I mean why do all four of you have to have the same moustache? And the same terrible fashion sense? I like stripes as much as the next person, but come on. You don’t have to co-ordinate your wardrobe with the ship’s sails. Come to think of it, that better not be material from our spare!

“Yes, you two look slightly more respectable with your hats and fancy clothes. That’s no excuse for you to not climb up there to help get Monkey, though. If Monkey gets you dirty you can try and do some laundry for once. And I don’t want to hear any guff about being a navigator. You can’t even parallel park a ship properly.

“Seriously, though, second in command is going to kick all of you into shape once we bury this treasure somewhere. She’s the only one with any respectability around here. Look at her, trying to walk Larry off the plank even as we speak. That’ll teach him. How hard is it to not burn toast at breakfast?”

“Sam – I said get Monkey down, not kill him! Put the cutlass away you fool!”

There’s a good reason Pirates are a perennial theme, and an even better reason why we love this one – aside from this being a fun build loaded with vibrant colours (what treasure-thirsty pirate could say no to a vertically striped sail and four Jolly Rogers?) there is so much story going on. If you have this ship on display it draws attention. You can’t help but look closer at the details and find yourself transported to a far away land with an X marking the spot. You don’t just want to build this set, you want to be on board. It’s not a surprise that this 1989 (also known as “year of the LEGO monkey”) LEGO bounty remains in our minds as a much loved creation. There must have been a lot of happy builders when it was re-released (with a few extra pieces) in 2002 as 10040 Black Seas Barracuda.