Each shark had a steel skeleton, hydraulics to open and close their mouths, and air-powered
pneumatic mechanisms that moved various parts of their bodies. But there was a problem. These sharks
just didn’t like saltwater.
The animatronic sharks would sit on an
arm that would run along a track sat on the seabed. Meanwhile, a barge nearby would
house all of the electrical generators needed to power the hydraulic mechanisms.
The original schematic for the animatronic
- later changed due to functionality problems.
“Most of the hydraulic valves on the [animatronic] shark were powered by electric solenoids,”
said cast member Jonathan Filley (“In the Teeth of Jaws”). “And they got the whole thing put
together and when they dumped it in the water, everything fried.”
“When you got it in the salt water, it started to affect the electrolysis,” recalled production
designer Joe Alves. “Everything that was electrical in the shark dissipated rapidly. Bob used
pneumatics instead of hydraulics because he didn”t want oil spills.”
