By 1963, Van Artsdalen rode the “Summer Semi,” later renamed the Pipeliner, widely considered the first high-performance longboard. During a brief relocation to California in 1964 due to a shipping strike, Brewer shaped for Hobie Alter and later for Rich Harbour, creating iconic models such as the Dick Brewer Gun, Trestles Special, and The Cheater.

In 1966, Bing Surfboards actively pursued Brewer offering team sponsorship and money for R&D, thus starting the “Pipeliner” era. In 1967, Brewer created the Pintail lightweight for Bing Surfboards, the first surfboard with a hard tail edge going into soft rail. Another transitional design known as “The Lotus” (which was first built by Brewer at Surfline) also found its way into the Bing line up. As Brewer explains “I’d made a 9-foot 10-inch gun for David Nuuhiwa in the spring of ’67, and David broke the nose off, so I redrew it at 7 feet 8 inches with a 17-inch nose on it  and Randy Rarick reglassed it. I took that board out and rode it at Chun’s – phenomenal roller coasters with that nose and the gun tail. That board became the proto-type for the Lotus.”

Later, Dick relocated to Maui, opening Lahaina Surf Designs, where Gerry Lopez and Reno Abellira began riding his boards. Brewer’s collaboration with Bob McTavish led to the creation of the first Mini Gun, a precursor to the modern shortboard, which Lopez and Chapman helped test and popularize.

Thruster Evolution & Tow Surfing (1980s–2000s)

For every action, there is a reaction, and such was the 1980s, as the commercialization of the sport once again came into full view. Replacing simple colors and black wetsuits were the bright pink hues of this era. Still, it was a remarkable period, marked by the evolution of the shortboard and the replacement of single fins with multi-fin boards. So deeply rooted were Brewer’s designs in the psyche of every shaper at this point that it was easy to forget the source. This was probably one of the most challenging eras for Dick Brewer Surfboards. As Ian Cairns and Peter Townsend made their way up and down the California coast promoting the NSSA and later leading the world into the new professional surfing circuit, they presented a squeaky-clean image, and it was easy to conclude that Dick Brewer Surfboards did not fit this mold. Maintaining a balance between commercial pursuit and the pure essence of surfboard design, Dick Brewer not only proved himself during this era but surpassed it in every way.

Brewer maintained a focus on high-performance board design. In 1981, he partnered with Gary Linden and Steve Morgan to expand Dick Brewer Surfboards, working with team riders such as David Barr, Max Madeiros, and Rick Rasmussen. Brewer helped refine thruster and quad designs, ensuring his influence persisted through the decade.

By the 1990s, Brewer shifted attention to tow-in surfing, collaborating with pioneers such as Laird Hamilton, Garret McNamara, Derrick Doerner, and Buzzy Kerbox. In 1992, he shaped The Betsy for Hamilton, the first modern tow-in board, allowing surfers to tackle unprecedented waves with precision and speed.

Modern Achievements & Legacy (2000s–2022)

Brewer’s boards were central to defining moments in big wave surfing. In 2000, Laird Hamilton rode the “Millennium Wave” at Teahupoo, Tahiti, a feat made possible in part by Brewer’s innovations. In 2004, Bruce Irons won the Eddie using a Brewer Gun, demonstrating the enduring power of his designs.

In collaboration with industrial designer Marc Newson in 2007, Brewer created nickel-shell tow boards, ten of which now have values exceeding $225,000 each. Throughout the 2000s, he continued to shape for elite surfers worldwide, while maintaining his surf studio here in Hawaii.

Even Al Merrick, the man who mentored Tom Curren and Kelly Slater and built Channel Islands Surfboards said of Brewer, “I just think he’s the best there ever was.” Brewer received numerous honors, including induction into the Huntington Beach Surfing Walk of Fame in 2012 and a dedicated Dick Brewer Day on July 24 in Kauai.