Florida man recreates boat seen in ‘Jaws’

(NBC, KYMA/KECY) - The Orca is one of the most famous boats in movie history and it dates back to 1975, and a man in Florida has built a look-alike.

"'Jaws' is, to me, the go to let's see, today. Look, it's rainy, it's hot. And you want to go inside. You can go and put Jaws on Christmas Day. You can put Jaws on," said Mike Sterling, a Marine carpenter who's a "Jaws" enthusiast.

Sterling was seven-years-old when one of his favorite movies came out in theaters.

"I said, 'One day...one day, I'm going to go on that boat. I'm going to go on that boat one day.' And then the tragedy of what happened to it, it got broken. It doesn't exist anymore," Sterling shared.

Sterling had decades of boat-building experience. He says he bought a boat in Maine nine years ago with the intention of fulfilling his childhood dream.

"It was the ultimate father-son project. My son was right up to my knees when we started and now he's looking at me," Sterling expressed.

He says the passion project with his 12-year-old son, Jack, took longer than expected as difficult family circumstances came up.

"I decided to see if anybody would be interested in taking the project on. And I put it on a site called Jaws's 50th. The guy, Michael Fulcher, put it on the site and pictures and anybody interested in taking this on, it's going to be the orca. Within 5 minutes he sends me a messenger...he just inspired me. He put me in touch with Martin Milner, who built the original one, worked on it."

Mike Sterling, Marine carpenter

The father and son duo hustled to make sure the newly-revived Orca made an appearance this past week at Martha's Vineyard for the Jaws 50th anniversary celebration.

"Hopefully, this is going to touch a whole new generation again," Sterling spoke.