Random set of the day: Skull's Eye Schooner
Posted by Huwbot,
Today's random set is 6286 Skull's Eye Schooner, released in 1993. It's one of 6 Pirates sets produced that year. It contains 912 pieces and 9 minifigs, and its retail price was US$126.5.
It's owned by 1954 Brickset members. If you want to add it to your collection you might find it for sale at BrickLink or eBay.
53 likes
22 comments on this article
This is one of the best pirate ships ever! Redbeard and a monkey, and it was a set with over 900 pieces. That was a lot for back then. Wish I would have been able to buy it back then because it's expensive now. Love this set and the nostalgia that it brings.
The term “iconic” does not do this set justice. In some ways it helped pave the way for the larger, collectible, display sets so many AFOLs crave today. And yet, it still offered incredible play potential. Perhaps not affordable to many youngsters in its time, it still gave them a target to which their ambitions might aim. Larger and more impressive ships have followed in its wake, but they are simply standing atop the decks of this venerable model.
While I have serious nostalgia for the Black Seas Barricuda, this ship has a better color scheme in my adult opinion. Very close between the two for “best pirate ship”. ...the newer ships don’t have the complexity, piece count or beauty (not counting Imperial Flagship).
Some people love the Black Seas Barracuda because it was the first...but, to me, the Skull's Eye Schooner has always been the far better ship.
Yeah, sure, it's the one I grew up with, but I now have all the Pirate Ships LEGO released and this one is still my favourite. The sails are the prettiest and the design of the back of the ship the most well balanced between a classic galleon and a pirate ship.
I'd love to see LEGO re-release it. The only change I'd made would be the hull, which I'd replace with a single-tone one (instead of having that red top).
Skull Eye Schooner is an awesome set! I have had the privilege to have two of these sets (not at the same time) and building it each time was really fun. Ranks up there as the Best Pirate ship (next to the the Creator Imperial Flagship) in my opinion
Oh man. Oh man oh man oh man! This is THE ship. When I got it in a garage sale haul back in 2001, even in pieces, I knew I came across something truly special. A giant among titans. At the time, the Holy Grail of LEGO Pirate ships. I still consider it the exemplar of the "LEGO Pirate flagship" set-type, and that is saying something, considering it came out back in 1993!
Unlike my Imperial Trading Post, this one was the American version that came with non-shooting cannons. Recently, I rectified that with the purchase of some shooting ones that were available in Europe in 1993. But even without the shooting cannons, this thing is a marvel of not just looks, but play. You have a winch to raise and lower treasure (or mutineers!), as well as an anchor that can be raised or lowered by spinning a turnstile. Behind and beneath the anchor mechanism is lots of storage for more booty or prisoners! Pass the sliding cannons, the poop deck and captain's cabin are filled with functionality. The sides hinge open for easy access to the interior the steering wheel ACTUALLY STEERS THE RUDDER. I cannot emphasize how impressed I am by that. The designers knew this thing was never meant to be put in water, much less driven by the winds. But they had the commitment to accuracy that went above and beyond even earlier sets (certainly, the Black Seas Barracuda didn't have this. Imperial Flagship from 1992 did, though, if I'm not mistaken). Details like a working compass, a lifeboat, monkey and parrot, as well as plenty of weapons for the scurvy-afflicted crew made this set the ultimate way to spend an afternoon imagining you were cruising the seven seas, seeking fortune far and wide.
My set is in bad shape. One of the sails is stained and lots of the white pieces have yellowed. But it will be worth every penny to rehabilitate it. Sure, it has some unremarkable things about it. I personally felt like the prow of the ship could use a better looking figurine than a nondescript white torso with black minifigure head. But man, if you want to see an example of LEGO at their peak, at the height of their Golden Age of the System, your search ends with the Skull's Eye Schooner. Sets like this are why the 90s, for those of us who grew up during the decade, was truly a time of LEGO MANIA!
This is by far my favorite of the pirate ships.
Addendum to my post above: This set made such an impression on me that when I was on the Inside Tour in May 2016, it was one of the first sets I sought out. Having bought it in a bucket from a garage sale, I never so much as saw what a new one looked like. And suddenly, there I was, holding a pristine one! A LEGO Christmas that never was, and yet, I still felt like a kid again!
https://flic.kr/p/2aj4BTW
What a great set. Interesting to build, looks great on the shelf, and you can waste lots of time playing with the set. I still like BSB better with its dedicated cannons on each side, but this is unquestionably a wonderful set.
I never bought any of the pirate sets and that is a shame. Because in my youth I would build my own pirate ships complete with coton sails. Weird I didn't buy piratesets when I think about today.
One of my favourite Lego sets. Had it since I was five years old. Probably too young, but it was a present from my parents. Many pieces were lost to time, but I restored it almost a decade ago. Mainly the sails and the stern are missing (I replaced it with a similar piece from Caribbean Clipper 6274-1, albeit without the red interior). The partial restoration serves as a reminder of my neglect for this majestic ship. I'm just glad I had the chance to rebuild her again.
Simply BEAUTIFUL!!!
still got it... at least most of the pieces.
somewhere...
My favourite Lego set as a child.
They just don’t make them like they used to.
I love this pirate ship.
I was fortunate to receive The Skull’s Eye Scooner (SES) as a gift when I was a kid! It was and still is a great ship; by far one of my favorite LEGO sets even now!
I wanted the Black Seas Barracuda (BSB) ever since I first saw it in a LEGO catalogue, but did not get it as a kid. A few years ago, as an AFOL, I purchased a BSB set on the secondary market. It too is a nice set, but does not nearly have the features the SES has. I’m still very pleased to have both ships in my Pirate fleet!
Growing up as a kid this was always the set I would grab at the store, but my parents would always grab the $10 set and say "Look at this one!!!" with a big smile on their face.... :) Now that I'm older having all the pirate ships is AWESOME!!!!
My first Pirate ship. Even when i went to the University it was still on display. The best ship ever made. I wish I was 11 again :)
Still have mine. And my wife was kind enough to wash and iron the sails for me a couple years back.
Hard choice, but if I hat to choose between the 2, I like the BSB's design and color scheme better. Those yellow slopes giving that beautiful shaping!
Arrrr! 'tis a fine ship!