The Minnetonka Yacht Club, of Deephaven, Minnesota, has given the Minnetonka Yacht Club Lifetime Achievement Award for 2013 to Brad Robinson.
Brad has been an active member of the Minnetonka Yacht Club since infancy. He served as sailing school instructor, Director, Treasurer, Fleet Captain, Protest Committee Chair, Commodore in 1974 and 1975, Sailing School President, and in many, many other posts. Brad also has numerous national scow championships in his win column, which we will not go into here, as that is not what this award is about.
Brad and his parents before him were/are significant benefactors to the Minnetonka Yacht Club. Two of the last three MYC Race Committee boats (the 27' Chris Craft, and the current Penn Yan) were donated outright to the Club by Brad and his family. His financial contributions to the nascent Lake Minnetonka Sailing School, as it became a thriving 501(c)(3) educational organization, were annual events. As a result, the Lake Minnetonka Sailing School has become a resource for disadvantaged kids all over the Twin Cities, not just the children of Club members.
Besides philanthropy, Brad also has been a hands-on worker in service to the mechanical needs of the Club. On more than one memorable occasion, back in the 1970s, he climbed down into the sewage collection pit, three foot Stilson wrench in hand, and freed the obstruction from the sewage ejector pump. No information is available as to the characteristics or depth of the liquid in which he was standing.
The award, a Winchester Signal Cannon, is a working antique (like Brad). The 10 gauge piece was originally fitted to the motor launch Thor of Oslo, the Inland Lake Yachting Association's signal boat for many decades, owned by Harold Koch. The cannon was presented some years ago by the ILYA to past Commodore ('85-'86) Bob Sevey, in recognition of his long standing service to the Association. With the presentation of the award this year to Brad Robinson, Sevey (the 2012 awardee) has repurposed this icon which now becomes a perennial prize, and part of the Minnetonka Yacht Club's storied trove of trophies.
Selection of the MYC Lifetime Achievement Award is made by the prior recipient, and the current Commodore of the Minnetonka Yacht Club.
Prior awards have gone to:
2006 John Burton
2007 David Cochran
2008 Walter Pratt
2009 Tom Maple
2010 Harry J. Campbell, Jr.
2011 Kingston Fletcher
2012 Bob Sevey