One of the early Seaside Heights surfers Richard first started surfing in 1966 in Sea Bright with cousin, at 15 years old he caught the bug. Soon along with his close friends Greg Mesanko he became a mainstay at Casino Pier. In 67 Custom surf shop began paying to work at the shop in Lavalette NJ and their main job was to test ride boards. In 68 Rich was the number ranked surfer in NJ, but his real love would come soon and that was shaping his own boards.
In his first semester at Brevard Community College he would meet Gene Cottrell who was the main shaper at Surfboards East. Cottrell took into the shaping bay and let him watch him shape two boards, Luthringer found his new calling that day. Heading back to New Jersey Richard ripped the glass off an old longboard and would shape the first of thousands of custom boards for surfers in New Jersey and beyond the state.
Luthringer was a talented competitive surfer first for More Pope where he won numerous events on the Morey Pope Penetrator and was a top ranked ESA competitor during the late 60’s and early 70’s. Still surfing and shaping beautiful boards in New Jersey Rich was also a talented craftsman who also built custom homes.
