As the Parsons family’s twenty-five-foot sailboat glides through a Wisconsin lake, onlookers might be puzzled by the vessel’s name.
Fred.
No, the Madison family of four — Craig, Katie, eleven-year-old Rowan and eight-year-old Reece — didn’t name their boat after a man. Rather, they’re paying homage to the Swedish word for “peace.”
Peace is certainly one of the feelings sailing brings the family. And it’s been a part of Craig’s life since he was a child. Growing up in Sturgeon Bay amid his family’s company Palmer Johnson Yachts, he was equally at home on land and on the water.
“Craig has been sailing since he was a tiny, tiny baby,” Katie says. “He and his family would take these huge two-week sailing trips on the Great Lakes. It was kind of like camping, but on a boat.”
Katie, who grew up near Lake Michigan in Racine, had never been sailing until she and Craig started dating. A long weekend sailing in Door County proved to be an adventure — conditions were foggy and they had to blast an airhorn to keep a bigger boat away — but Katie wasn’t deterred.
Katie, a nurse anesthetist, now shares a passion for sailing with Craig, who runs Palmer Johnson Power Systems, an offshoot of his family’s longtime business. And their kids have naturally joined in on the fun.
“They love it, they absolutely love it,” Katie says. “That boat has brought us much joy.”
Family time is important to the Parsons, and their home is so close to Lake Mendota that when the weather is beautiful or the mood strikes, they can decide on a whim to go sailing.
“We can be out on the boat in fifteen minutes,” Katie says. “The kids grab the lifejackets and Craig packs the Yeti cooler.”
In addition to sailing, the family loves to travel. A recent trip to Sweden — a seaside place that reminded them of Door County — inspired not only the name of their boat, but also an appreciation for the Swedish concept of lykke.
“It’s the feeling when you’re content with life,” Katie explains. “What makes people happy — it’s not stuff. It’s having a community, it’s having control over your schedule, it’s connecting and doing what you like.”
So this summer, the Parsons are leaning into the idea, and it’s been leading them back to the water.
“Our family likes sailing,” she says, “so we sail.”
Photos by Jen Lucas.