Ned McMahon

Ned McMahon

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Father, brother, son, uncle, friend, surfer, sailor, captain, waterman, catholic worker, inventor, entrepreneur, professor, man of many boats.

Known for:

• Family first.

• Strong.

• Dreamer.

• 6'3 and oh so handsome.

Edward Francis "Ned" McMahon passed away on August 13, 2024, in New Ulm, Texas. Born on April 4, 1956, to Edward and Rosemary McMahon, Ned lived a life of adventure, creativity, and service.

From an early age, Ned was drawn to the ocean. At 18, he moved to Hawaii to surf the legendary waves of Pipeline, Sunset, and Waimea. His passion for surfing led him to a career as a renowned surfboard shaper, crafting more than 35,000 boards during his career. And what a career it was...

1976

After returning from a year in Hawaii, Ned began shaping surfboards for a local surf company, Ocean Magic, while at Texas A&M University in Galveston studying Marine Engineering.

1978

Ned started work with Sunset Surfboards in Encinitas, CA. At that time Sunset was the largest surfboard company in the world.

1979

The first wave of Japanese surfing and Sunset built many boards for the Japanese market and Ned was the featured shaper in the Japanese Surf Magazines.

He became known as a designer for his innovative six-channel design and had his first article published in Surfer Magazine.

1979-83

Because of his shaping notoriety, Ned got the contract for the first wave of Australian brands in the US. First Rip Curl and then Nat Young – two of the most prominent names in Australian surfing.

1980-83

Ned began shaping for Lightning Bolt, the new leading surfboard brand worldwide. During this time he began shaping boards for many top surfers in the area such as Brad Gerlach, that would go on to become some of the most influential surfers in the new world of Pro surfing.

1984-1987

Ned took time off to explore, sail and surf. He sailed throughout the Caribbean and Mexico. He continued shaping at various stops from Maine to Florida. During this time through exposure to the boat-building world, Ned started experimenting with EPS foam, epoxy, Kevlar and carbon fiber. Very light and very strong boards were built but the process was not ready for mass production.

1988

Love happened. Ned met the love of his life, Christine, and stopped sailing to build a beach house for his parents in Galveston -- and get married.

1989-1996

The islands called, and the family moved to Hawaii where Ned became an in-house shaper and designer for Town and Country Surf. During this time Ned was one of the first shapers along with Eric Arakawa to embrace the computer production of boards. He designed many of the T&C plugs and some are still in use today. In addition, Ned became the Director of Marketing for T&C and began traveling the world working with licensees and shaping.

In each country Ned traveled he shaped boards for the top pros in that area – the Dutch, English, French, Spanish, Brazilian, New Zealand and Australian champions were all riding Ned's shapes. More articles were published in the US surf magazines and Ned was featured in magazine articles in every country he traveled. While home in Hawaii, Ned was shaping for the top pros such as Sunny Garcia, Johnny Boy Gomes, Matt Archbold, Sion Milosky, and the younger pros Andy Irons (on his way to his third world title) Bruce Irons, and Keala Kennely (featured in the movie Blue Crush). Ned also made blank plugs for companies in Brazil and Australia and made two molded plugs for Kaena Surfboards in France. Working the new material called Sheretex, Ned worked with Yvon Chouinard of Patagonia and Point Blanks in an effort to make stronger, better value boards.

1996-2001

Ned moved back to California when asked by one of T&C's licensees to be Managing Director of Ocean Storm, a small bodyboard manufacturer. Ned improved production quality and process, increased sales three fold, and made Ocean Storm one of the best bodyboard companies in the world. Ned also began production of Ocean Storm soft surfboards – the most technically advanced soft surfboard at the time featuring polypropolene cores and aluminum stringers. Tome Morey (the originator of Boogie Board) was impressed enough with the new materials and process that he came to Ocean Storm for surfboards.

Ned was also heavily involved in the development of the rescue sled used behind jet skis. Brian Kealuana blew the rescue world away with his techniques and one of Ned's sleds in a worldwide rescue exposition in France. Sleds from Ocean Storm have gone to Hawaii, France, Hong Kong, throughout California (featured on Baywatch) and used by rescue services in swift water rescue in rivers. With the development of Ocean Storm, Mike Stewart (6-time world champion) came to work with Ned. The now popular contoured boards were developed with Ocean Storm. Mike went on to win his last Pipe Masters on one of the boards Ned made. Ned even coined the name Energy Core for the EPP core used.

2001

Ocean Storm was sold and Ned went on to work with other companies in marketing and international licensing. Ned shaped until 2023 and helped younger shapers learn the craft.

Beyond shaping and surfing, Ned was a skilled sailor who spent years navigating the Caribbean and East Coast. During his sailing adventures, he met his former wife, Christine McMahon, and together they raised their daughters, Emilie and Jessica, in Kailua, Oahu and San Diego, California. His devotion to family remained steadfast throughout his life -- which included his 2 brothers - Tom and Mark; 2 sisters - Maryellen and Tracey; and his Mother-Rosemary and Father-Edward.

A man of deep faith and intellect, Ned was an avid reader of philosophy and theology. He dedicated time to service with the Catholic Worker movement, managing Casa Milagro in San Diego to assist refugees in transition. Ned had a knack for helping others navigate a better life.

Ned's love of the ocean, family, and the planet brought him to found several companies based on sustainability and innovation:

In 2007 he founded Malama Composites producing a bio-based foam that was recyclable, sustainable and far less toxic than typical surfboard foam. The foam was also used by Hollywood set designers, for furniture, and building materials.

He also founded Primo Wind / Primo Energy in 2012 – Ned incorporated his knowledge of wind (from years of sailing) and designed innovative wind-energy products including the EnergiPlant and EnergiTree. The company expanded incorporating solar, wind and batteries providing energy solutions to the military, universities, and community parks.

His expertise led him to a role as a professor at the University of San Diego's Shiley-Marcos School of Engineering where he taught Sustainable Energy courses.

He quite possibly could be "the most Interesting man alive". Yet his motto was: "All you need is love." He embodied the aloha spirit in all he did. His strength, kindness, and adventurous soul left an indelible mark on those who knew him. His legacy will live on in the waves he rode, the boards he shaped, the young minds he influenced, and the lives he touched.

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You are invited to read Ned's Blog (circa 2007) INSPIROCEAN: https://inspirocean.blogspot.com/

Below is how Ned described himself:

Gender Male

Occupation Dreamer

Location San Diego, California, United States

Introduction

As I observe life around me and around the world I can't help but think that we are destined to do more than accumulate wealth and material possessions. There is far more common in us all than there are differences yet we tend to focus on the difference. It is time to look at one another with peace and compassion - I no longer have the stomach for greed and disrespect.

Interests

I love the sea and need to be around it whether in a shack on a beach somewhere or from the deck of an old wooden schooner - the sea is life.

Favorite Movies

Message in a Bottle for the most beautiful piece of functional art - the schooner Malabar, and for the true love the story reveals, yet is so hard to find.

Favorite Music

All music has a time and place, when you think music isn't good it is just being played at the wrong time for you. Of course Van Morrison is good all the time.

Favorite Books

Anything by Thomas Merton keeps things real for me.

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Ned passed away from ALS August 13, 2024. He never gave up and never complained. His final wish would be that each of us find a way to take care of the planet and in particular our one and only OCEAN.

Photos & More: http://oceaned.life/

Songs for Ned:

Captain Ned:

https://suno.com/song/953d2c84-8224-4115-a9d4-7303638362ee?sh=F5RxyNyp8PYcDYMx

https://suno.com/song/49ce8647-f6e5-4590-b2a6-327f35cb0fce?sh=c9A06NUCTx20HHr0

Against All Odds: https://suno.com/song/7d7a8971-2edb-4a58-8680-de54906ca6c1?sh=udmVZyIiFh2adbSe