World's only full-scale Jaws boat replica to open in Conwy

A full-scale replica of the Orca, the famous shark-hunting vessel from Steven Spielberg’s 1975 film *Jaws*, is set to open in north Wales. This unique boat, the only full-size reproduction in existence, was constructed over two years and will be outfitted with replica items from the original movie. The creator, Jon Fieldhouse, believes this attraction will draw visitors from across the globe, including countries like America and Japan.

Jon Fieldhouse, a 59-year-old prop maker, shared that fans of *Jaws* have already shown significant interest in traveling to Conwy to experience the boat firsthand. He hopes that the replica, named Orca II, will help boost tourism in the area and even attract some Hollywood celebrities. Jon’s fascination with the film began at the age of nine, when he first watched it, and the 50th anniversary celebration of *Jaws* last year motivated him to complete the project. “I realised early on that she was going to be the only one in the world,” he said, adding, “It’s quite a rare sort of thing, so that inspired me as well.”

The vessel’s creation began after Jon purchased an old Grand Banks fishing boat in Brighton in 2024 and transported it to Conwy. Despite challenges in sourcing authentic props—from the right cups and pans to a replica of the 1960s cooker seen in the iconic scene where Roy Scheider’s character utters the famous line, “You’re gonna need a bigger boat”—Jon remained dedicated. Tracking down items took years, with many objects either no longer in production or highly valuable collectibles. Among the most difficult, yet critical items were the yellow flotation barrels, matching those used by the characters in the film to track the shark. Jon noted, “I’ve been working on it for so long, and no one really knew what I was doing, but as soon as I put the barrels on the front, they thought ‘oh my God, yes, it’s the boat from Jaws.’”

In addition to the barrels, Jon recreated the shark cage and imported authentic Narragansett beer cans, famously crushed by the film’s shark-obsessed captain, Quint, played by Robert Shaw. The boat will also feature a signed copy of *Jaws* by Peter Benchley and a book signed by survivors of the USS Indianapolis, referenced in Quint’s memorable speech. Despite incorporating original elements from the donor boat, Jon said, “I’ve got a nice mixture of the two, the original boat and the boat from *Jaws*,” but believed the slight differences between them would be barely noticeable. The Orca II is currently moored at Deganwy Marina on the Conwy estuary and will open to the public soon. Due to its size, only four people can tour the vessel at a time, allowing them to have exclusive use of the boat for an hour—where they can film, take photos, and even crush the cans themselves. Jon expressed excitement about the public’s reaction so far and is hopeful that *Jaws* fans among A-list celebrities, such as Tom Cruise, might visit the attraction in the future

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