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Mike Sterling, a big fan of Steven Spielberg’s famous film “Jaws,” has rebuilt a perfect replica of Captain Quint’s iconic shark-hunting boat “Orca,” just in time for the film’s 50th anniversary last June.
For Florida boat carpenter Mike Sterling, what began as a childhood dream has turned into a decade-long labor of love. In fact, with perfect timing, Sterling unveiled his “Orca,” a perfect replica of the boat featured in Steven Spielberg’s legendary film “Jaws,” for the film’s 50th anniversary celebration.
Sterling, now 50, was only 7 years old when “Jaws” was first released in U.S. theaters in 1975. “Someday I’m going to get on that boat,” he remembers saying to himself as he exited that screening that filled him with excitement. Now he has kept that promise, and his creation is making all movie fans excited.
The project began nine years ago, when Sterling bought an old boat in Maine (U.S.) with the intention of turning it into the iconic “Orca,” the boat captained by the rough shark hunter Quint. But what began as a modest restoration project quickly turned into an exciting experience and a family affair. “It was the ultimate father-son project when I started,” Sterling said, “My son Jack at the time was barely up to my knees. Now he looks me in the eye.”
But it was not an easy journey for the two. By the time Jack was 12, after several years of slow progress, Sterling gave in to the complexity of the work and decided to put the unfinished boat up for sale on an enthusiast site called “Jaws 50th.” He hoped someone might pick up where he left off and complete it. Within minutes he was contacted by enthusiast Michael Fulcher, who quickly put him in touch with Marty Milner, a craftsman who had worked on the original “Orca” model used in the film.
At that point, however, Mike and Marty decided to continue the work together and rushed to complete it in time for the film’s 50th anniversary and celebration scheduled for June 20-22, 2025, on Martha’s Vineyard, a Massachusetts island that lies just below Cape Cod and is the original filming location for the film, although in the film it actually takes on the appearance of the fictional town of “Amity.”
But what became of the original “Orca”? Or, rather, of the two boats used in Spielberg’s film? The first model of the “Orca” actually sailing after filming was purchased by set designer Joe Alves in nearby Marblehead, Massachusetts. The boat was used as a lobster trawler and bore the name “Warlock” before being renamed “Orca” and fitted with a mast and pulpit by the film’s set designers. It was also repainted in burgundy and black and fitted with very large windows to make it more identifiable as a menacing shark “hunting machine.”
The second boat, known as “Orca II,” was a fiberglass replica of the “Orca I” model. It was made strictly as a sinking stage element, which was positioned whenever “Bruce,” the name given by the crew to the mechanical shark, attacked the boat. It had a complicated hydraulic cylinder system that allowed the boat to tilt and “sink” on command, and the stern was made of special lumber designed to break during the famous attack on Quint.
According to legend, the “Orca II” sank more than once during the film’s production and had to be salvaged from the seabed. In one of the film industry’s greatest mysteries, the “Orca I” was sold after filming ended to a special effects technician in Los Angeles who wanted to use it for swordfish fishing. A year later, however, when the film became a box-office success exceeding $100 million, Universal rushed to buy back the boat, allegedly paying 10 times the sale price.
In a fitting conclusion “Orca I” then ended up as the backdrop for the “Amity Island” attraction at Universal Studios. But, in another curious twist, it was unceremoniously and especially unannounced cut down and destroyed when it became too dilapidated to be used in the theme park.
With no “Orca” model left to perpetuate the legacy of the “Jaws” film, Sterling knew he had to recreate the iconic boat. Even with the help of his new friends, Sterling and Jack had to scramble to meet the deadline and bring the boat to the anniversary celebration. The new “Orca,” to which an official website is also dedicated, was the real surprise of the celebration and sparked cheers from fans and boat builders alike.
Sterling believes “Jaws” is a timeless film that families can turn to for any occasion, including Christmas. And now die-hard fans once again have the right boat available to celebrate this legendary film.
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