Stab Magazine | The Undisputed King Of San Clemente's Surf Ghetto, Chris McElroy Has Died (RIP)

Live Now: Chapter 11 Mini-Documentary With Dane Reynolds

1515 Views

The Undisputed King Of San Clemente’s Surf Ghetto, Chris McElroy Has Died (RIP)

“He was the archetype.” – Matt Biolos

news // Aug 14, 2019
Words by stab
Reading Time: 2 minutes

During the halcyon 1980s, shaper Chris McElroy was the undisputed king San Clemente’s Surf Ghetto. 

Calle de Los Molinos was his court. He was the guy making the local heroes like Christian Fletcher and Dino Andino the boards that sent them into the stratosphere. He took Dino to his first NSSA contest when he was 11. He shaped Mitch Colapinto his first thruster. A creative force, an artist, craftsman, mentor and troubled soul, McElroy and his famous air guitar have now slipped into legend.

Through the ‘80s and into the ‘90s, McElroy’s shapes could be found everywhere. The walls of his shaping bay were famously plastered with photos ripped out from magazines. From covers of Christian boosting to Dino’s full-rail speed carves, at a moment in time when surfing was progressing seemingly every day, it was McElroy that was providing the spaceships for all of the exploration. And while he relished in the international exposure, Trestles and the hut at Uppers was his zone of choice—and he got whatever wave he wanted in the ultra-competitive lineup. 

Not only was McElroy building great boards, but he also took young shapers like Matt Biolos and Timmy Patterson under his wing. In its raw, wild radicalness, McElroy embodied the era. 

“He carried himself like a bonafide surf star,” recalled Matt Biolos. “He partied like a rock star and had the best ‘air guitar’ I ever saw, but he could play as well. He always had an entourage of sorts. He was fun. He’d party with us, ask us questions, let us hang out upstairs in the Hydro Glass den of decadence. He was inclusive. He’d pay me to paint his team riders boards…and tease the shit out of me for ‘drawing skulls and devil shit on my boards!’ In the bustling surfboard building ghetto, we all wanted to be him. He was the archetype.” 

Fading from the scene in the late ‘90s, he spent some years living down around Todos Santos in Baja, Mexico. 

“That rock star lifestyle caught up to him. More parties than surfing. More parties than working. In the end, the fall was radical. Yet he somehow kept his magnetic and hypnotic character for decades,” continued Biolos. “Through it all, he could still hold court. Even when teetering on homelessness, or holed up in Cabo, there was still some magic in the original ‘Muc.’” 

Recently, McElroy, whose health had been in decline after years of hard living, had plugged himself back into the Surf Ghetto scene. The guys that he helped build were all too happy to help him try and get back on his feet. It’s a tight community, and for those on the inside, the love is unconditional.

“We got him to almost finish a couple of shapes for Dino, but he just couldn’t physically do it,” said Damien Brawner.

For all of his challenges during the last few years of his life, all the shapers and glassers in the Surf Ghetto continued to do what they could for him. Dino remained close with him to the end.

“You brought so much joy, love, and laughter into all of our lives! I’m grateful I got to say I love you one last time before you left us,” wrote Cole Simler on Instagram. “I wish you could have stuck around a little longer. Rest In Peace. Love you, my friend!”

“We learned so much from you. We learned what to do. We learned what not to do,” added Biolos. “For myself, Timmy Patterson and many others in our board building community, perhaps that’s your biggest lesson given. Sleep well, Chris. We all loved you.”

Comments

Comments are a Stab Premium feature. Gotta join to talk shop.

Already a member? Sign In

Want to join? Sign Up

Advertisement

Most Recent

Full Frame: Scandinavia Is Surfing’s Next Frontier

A 30-hour drive, bathymetric maps, and 10 years of searching yield surfing's newest discovery.

Mar 29, 2024

Watch: João Chianca Had A Remarkable Hawaii Season Before His Injury

Plus an update on his condition.

Mar 28, 2024

Pittar’d And Feathered

Do the WSL judges deserve the internet's wrath? We asked the man of the hour.

Mar 28, 2024

Robbo, Pickles, And Tyler Wright Become The Underdogs Breakfast At Uninspiring Winkipop

The foreboding blade sharpens and inconsistent judging prevails on Day Two in Torquay.

Mar 27, 2024

“I Don’t Always Win Heats, But When I Do, I Try To Beat John John”

Slater shines and the axe begins its descent on Day 01 at Bells.

Mar 26, 2024

Back Against The Wall: The Ramzi Boukhiam Redemption

Morocco's first CT surfer on speaking six languages, having no coach, and snatching Fil Toledo's…

Mar 25, 2024

Will Kirra, Babies or JJF Stop a GOAT Winning at Bells?

Bluesky BOAG advice from a Superman specialist and former Trials winner.

Mar 25, 2024

Bells Preview: The WSL’s Victorian Sword Dancing Equinox Ritual

Will a Brazilian crack the Top 10 at Bells?

Mar 25, 2024

69 Shin Bones Later + the Anticlimactic State of Big Wave Record-Breaking

Lucas Chumbo might have surfed the biggest wave ever this year. But how will we…

Mar 23, 2024

Watch: ‘Fresh and Fried’ Ft the Quik Kids

How taxing is it to tackle the Gold Coast’s Triple Crown in a single day,…

Mar 23, 2024

The Popular Vote: The People’s Stab In The Dark With Kolohe Andino Champion

Which board looked best — to you —under Kolohe's talons?

Mar 22, 2024

Six Key Learnings From Portugal

Three CT events in, what do we know? 

Mar 21, 2024

‘Zipper’ Is Going On Tour, Here’s Where You Can Watch It  

Dates, times + locations for the Venice, Encinitas, Sydney + Byron premieres.  

Mar 20, 2024

Dane Reynolds On His Future, His Past, And Chapter 11’s Raison D’être

Our 9-minute plunge into the collective psyche of Ventura's pillar(s).

Mar 20, 2024

From ‘Blue Ribbon Cross Country Runner’ to Vogue – How Steph Again Is Back With A Rip Curl Remix

Everything we know about the she-GOATs sponsorship boomerang.

Mar 18, 2024

Stab Interview: Darren Handley Explains Why You Can’t Buy The Winning Stab In The Dark Model

And his decades-long standoff with Slater.

Mar 17, 2024

Griff Embraces Portugal’s Eternal Time Loop To Vanquish Medina + Ewing, Defay Delays The Inevitable

A redeeming closing act at Supertubos.

Mar 16, 2024

The Secret Behind Lungi Slabb’s Inconceivable Greenmount Funnel

Six broken boards, one leaking forehead, and five days of Superbank mysticism.

Mar 16, 2024
Advertisement