The Orca Boat From Jaws Is Coming Back, This Time to Promote Shark Conservation

In Steven Spielberg’s classic 1975 film Jaws, stars Roy Scheider, Robert Shaw, and Richard Dreyfuss attempt to corner a great white shark that's terrorizing the fictional town of Amity Island using the Orca, Shaw’s shark-hunting vessel.

With both the Orca and its stunt boat companion the Orca II having long since fallen apart from age and wear, a group of filmmakers and scientists is attempting to raise funds to build the Orca III—this time for ocean research and to encourage shark conservation.

The project is being led by John Campopiano, a filmmaker and Jaws historian, and David Bigelow, who actually appeared in Jaws as an extra and whose acting teacher, the late Lee Fierro, appeared as the mother of a shark attack victim. The plan is to take an existing lobster boat, the Lydia, and upgrade it with technology for ocean research as well as make cosmetic changes so it resembles the Orca from the film. Ocean conservation group Beneath the Waves has committed to using the boat in its work once it’s completed.

To make sure the Orca III would be worthy of Quint, the team includes Joe Alves, the film’s production designer, and Chris Crawford, who was build crew chief and pilot during filming.

Once seaworthy, the Orca III will set a course off Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts, collecting data, promoting shark conservation, and offering charters for people who would like to experience a trip on the Orca.

Anyone who would like to contribute to the project can visit the Indiegogo page. A goal of $150,000 has been set to finish work on the boat, with additional stretch goals available that would literally make for a bigger boat that could hold more tour groups.