Paul Callahan: Maximizing His Unique Potential

I’ve been lucky enough to chat with Paul Callahan at various regattas and gatherings over the past quarter century, as we both pursued our Olympic and Paralympic dreams. But it didn’t occur to me to write a Seahorse profile about him, until I got to know Justin Callahan, one of Paul’s twin boys, at the 2024 Snipe Nationals. Both father and son share an incredibly sunny attitude—and both frequently cite the family motto that became the article’s title: When One plus One Makes Three. As Justin put it in an interview (after winning the Snipe Junior Worlds with Mitchell, his twin), “When you put two of us in a boat together, we feel unstoppable.”

Interviewing Paul was a reminder of how much we can achieve with a great attitude. It was also a small glimpse into consciously raising free-range kids, directing and advising only when absolutely necessary. Based on an admittedly miniscule sample size of one, I’d call it a success.

Seahorse has graciously allowed me to share a PDF with you, but to see their incredible photos and read the rest of the December issue (including another insightful Rod Davis piece, Now for Google) you’ll have to subscribe.

Meanwhile, if you’ve got other suggestions for future Seahorse profiles, drop me an email. There are so many great sailors like Paul who are hiding in plain sight—just doing their own thing, not seeking out any press or visibility. And most of them will have quite a few salty stories to share, once someone asks.

Thanks for reading! Here’s the latest profile.