My Ship Has Sailed: Donating a $10,000 LEGO Build to Creations for Charity

The author's LEGO ship, the Bucanneer's Dread, has found a permanent home at the Museu da Imaginacao in Sao Paulo, Brazil, after being sold for over $10,000 USD through Creations for Charity. The sale included a fully paid trip to Brazil for the author.

The Bucanneer's Dread, a 72-gun galleon, was a long-term project that began in early 2020. The author initially planned to complete the build in a month and showcase it at Brickworld Chicago. However, the COVID-19 pandemic caused delays, providing extra time to work on the ship. During this time, the author received custom lighting kits from Lightaling. After three years and several conventions, the author's sister and friends suggested selling the model through Creations for Charity. The author then worked with the Museu da Imaginacao in Sao Paulo, Brazil, to arrange the sale and setup. The ship was carefully packed in a custom wood-reinforced box and shipped to Chile, South America, in December of the previous year, with the final trip to Brazil a few months later.

The author arrived in Sao Paulo on Saturday, and began setting up the ship at the museum on Monday. The museum was closed to visitors on Mondays, so the author began unpacking the ship and preparing it for display. The display case survived the journey well, though some disassembly was needed to access the lower decks. Very few pieces were broken or missing, and the author was able to reassemble the ship with minimal issues. The ship's journey covered over 13,000 miles before reaching its final destination.

For LEGO enthusiasts, this story is a testament to the passion and dedication involved in creating large-scale builds. If you're inspired to build your own ship, you might find a LEGO brick separator helpful for taking apart your creations.