How many pieces does Shackleton's Lifeboat have?

Set 40729 contains 232 pieces, including 95 unique elements, plus 2 minifigures.

What does the model depict?

It recreates the James Caird, the lifeboat Ernest Shackleton used in 1916 to sail from Elephant Island to South Georgia for help.

Is it a good beginner build?

Yes, the compact 232-piece build and straightforward hull shape make it approachable, and the full parts list on this page helps with planning.

Icons

Shackleton's Lifeboat

Shackleton's Lifeboat is a LEGO® Icons set that recreates the small wooden boat from one of polar history's most famous rescue voyages. Built from 232 pieces with 2 minifigures and 95 unique parts, it turns a dramatic survival story into a display-ready model. The muted colour palette gives it a weathered, historical look rather than a toy-like finish.

Set number: 40729
Year: 2024
Pieces: 232
Minifigures: 2
Theme: Icons
Different parts: 95

What can I build with it?

View the official building instructions at LEGO® ↗

Parts list 95

As BrickLink list (XML)

Import on BrickLink: Wanted → Upload, upload the file (or paste its content), pick a Wanted List and add the parts.

Spare parts (11)

These extra parts come with the set in case one gets lost.

Minifigures 2

Ernest Shackleton fig-0156794 pieces × 1
Frank Hurley fig-0156804 pieces × 1

Description

A model with a true story

Set 40729 represents the James Caird, the open lifeboat Ernest Shackleton and five crewmates sailed across roughly 1,300 kilometres of Southern Ocean in 1916 to bring help after their ship Endurance was crushed by ice. The voyage is still taught as a masterclass in navigation and endurance under extreme conditions. LEGO® has captured the boat's low, open hull, rigged sail and improvised deck cargo, giving the set a strong narrative hook that goes well beyond a generic ship build.

232 pieces, a focused build

With 232 pieces and 95 unique elements, this sits at the smaller end of the Icons range, making it a realistic weekend project rather than a multi-day build. Construction centres on shaping the hull, rigging the sail and adding small equipment pieces scattered across the open deck. The full parts list on this page shows every shape and colour used, which is handy if you want to source spares or reuse parts from other maritime or expedition sets you already own.

A restrained, historical colour scheme

Black, white, reddish brown and light bluish grey stand in for tarred wood, canvas sail and Antarctic rock and ice, giving the model a subdued, authentic look rather than bright, toy-like colours. Reddish brown forms the timber hull, white carries the sail, and the grey tones suggest surrounding stone and pack ice. That restraint makes the finished boat sit comfortably on a shelf next to other Icons or expedition-themed builds without visually competing with them.

Two crew figures for scale

Two minifigures dressed for polar conditions represent the crew and give the finished boat a clear sense of scale once it is displayed. They can sit inside the hull or stand beside it as part of a wider Antarctic diorama, and pair naturally with other exploration or adventure-themed sets. Combined with the equipment pieces listed on this page, they make the set a solid starting point for a small custom scene about early twentieth-century polar exploration.

FAQ

How many pieces does Shackleton's Lifeboat have?: Set 40729 contains 232 pieces, including 95 unique elements, plus 2 minifigures.
What does the model depict?: It recreates the James Caird, the lifeboat Ernest Shackleton used in 1916 to sail from Elephant Island to South Georgia for help.
Is it a good beginner build?: Yes, the compact 232-piece build and straightforward hull shape make it approachable, and the full parts list on this page helps with planning.