Page 11 - V38 #3

In Memory.... with Aloha
y
In Memor
Aloha

..
..
with
Chuck Quinn 1933 - 2024
Chuck “Gunker” Quinn was born in
Hawaii and carried the Aloha spirit with
him wherever he went. He grew up in
Coronado and took up surfing as a teen
with a small, tight-knit band of brothers
– a time before wetsuits, riding heavy wooden planks.
An expert snow skier and instructor as well, he cut a
dashing figure on the slopes in wintertime.
Chuck relished big waves, and this was one of his
favorite stories: In December, 1949, Imperial Beach Chuck “Gunker” Quinn
lifeguard Dempsey Holder put a call out to his buddies and his Simmons-style
that serious surf was forecast for the Tijuana Sloughs, board.
California’s first documented big-wave location. The His homemade board accidently bumped the
next morning Whitey Harrison, Burrhead Drever, Woody stranger’s board, which earned a scowl. Wanting
Ekstrom, Kimball Daun, Buddy Hull, John Blankenship, to make amends, Quinn asked, “Is that a Simmons
and Quinn showed up. The surf was indeed huge and board?” He received another contemptuous grimace
Dempsey led the way, paddling through a formidable and this response: “My name is Simmons, and this is
shorebreak. After a long paddle they reached their spot my latest machine.”
and waited in the lineup, when a lone figure cut sound- Chuck moved to the Bay Area several years ago,
lessly through their little group and stopped about 20 but always kept his membership current and candidly
yards away. shared many interesting stories of his encounters with
Quinn didn’t recognize the intruder, and was curious Simmons, Pat Curren, Dick “Stormsurf” Taylor and
– he paddled over to introduce himself. John Elwell, among others.

Walter Hoffman 1931 – 2024

Walter Hoffman was not only a physically im-
posing figure, he was a giant in the surf industry - A
board builder, big-wave charger, and a monumentally
successful businessman. Born and raised in California
Walter spent his summers in Laguna Beach, surfing on
solid redwood boards, fishing, and diving for abalone -
becoming an accomplished waterman.
Walter joined the navy after WWII and was
stationed on Oahu in the late 1940s-early 1950s, where
he made balsa wood surfboards from discarded life-
boats and, along with pals Buzzy Trent and George
Downing, tackled big waves from Makaha to the North
Shore.
He and his brother Flippy inherited the family
textile business in the late 1950s, named it Hoffman
California Fabrics and imbued it with the Hawaiian
-iisland-style flavor that they had come to love. It
was a successful move, cementing long relationships
with Ocean Pacific, Quiksilver, Gotcha, Billabong,
O’Neill, and countless others.
Walter Hoffman was not only a savvy entrepre-
neur who carved his own path, he was justifiably proud
of his talented family. His list of descendants reads like
a who’s-who in surfing, from World Champion daughter
Joyce down to his wave-shredding grandchildren.
...Aloha, Big Wal!
page 11