Growing up on Lake Minnetonka, Brad Robinson had a passion for competitive sailing and decided to use his engineer’s mind to create an innovative sailboat as a gift to the Inland Lake Yacht Association. Despite Robinson’s attention to A Scow sailboat building rules, the fleet denied his gift; they saw it as a threat to one boat builder’s monopoly and refused to sail Robinson’s boat. The conflict ended with a lawsuit and settlement, and Robinson felt his side of the story deserved telling.
Robinson asked Edina writer, Linda Tedford to pen The Price of Victory and the Fear of Innovation: Brad Robinson’s Story. “This was a story that involved a lot of conflict,” Tedford says. “I had to pore through lots of legal documents and details, but I discovered that it was also an amazing saga of innovation and perseverance.”
The book includes photographs of sailing on Lake Minnetonka, where Robinson still sails today. Tedford comments on what a joy it was to work with Robinson, and what an inspiration he is. “It’s a story about following dreams, about recognizing your passion and about being generous,” Tedford says. “I think it will give people a really good message about a positive way to live your life.”
The Price of Victory is available at Brightwater in Edina or online here.
