Triton Fall/Winter 2020 Vol. 17 No. 2

Former cook/stew wins MIASF Golden Anchor award

By Lucy Chabot Reed

nationwide.

“My job is to manage our lobbyists and my passion has been yachting, so I’m acutely Former yacht crew member Patience Cohn aware what the impediments are when won the Golden Anchor Award for 2020, the we’re coming up against legislation or rules most prestigious award given by the 60-yearthat impact yachts,” she said. “Probably the old Fort Lauderdale-based Marine Industries biggest advantage I have is that I can argue Association of South Florida. The award our point from a knowledgeable position.” recognizes a lifetime achievement for work in For example, a recent marine advisory the marine industry. from the U.S. Coast Guard clarified that “I am humbled and stunned by it,” Cohn vessels over 500 tons must leave South said after receiving the award at the MIASF Florida within 48 hours of a hurricane. Cohn annual meeting, held virtually on June made officers understand that yachts that size 24. “I don’t see myself as doing anything have hurricane plans and are highly focused extraordinary. I love what I do.” on safety, as well as the reality that they Cohn is the industry liaison at MIASF, would be unlikely to move in the face of a standing up for crewed yachts when industry quickly approaching storm. issues intersect with the government and its The USCG acknowledged her point and rules. The role is a natural for her; she spent now requires vessels over 500 tons hunkering more than 20 years as a cook, chef and stew Cohn as cook/stew aboard the first of the Limitless line, circa 1987. on some of the most well-known yachts at the

PHOTOS COURTESY OF PATIENE COHN down in South Florida facilities to let the Captain of the Port know they are there. time.

M/Y Circus II, which became M/Y Big Eagle for a “I told them that if someone told us Cohn grew up in Nantucket and began few months while owner Bernie Little negotiated we had to leave, I would have said you’re going playing with boats as a child. She worked at another deal, and then M/Y Limitless, the first in a without me,” Cohn said. “No boat is going to Nantucket Boat Basin throughout high school and line of ever-growing yachts owned by Les Wexner depart with a hurricane coming. Now, they just fill college, and then, in the mid-1970s, she joined a of the Limited and Victoria’s Secret clothing stores. out a form and tell us how they are going to stay cousin moving a 42-foot Post to Fort Lauderdale.

Cohn stayed involved in the yacht through all the safe.

When they pulled into Pier 66, general manager ownership changes as stew and again back in the “If you can argue from a position of knowing, Ronnie Stroud pulled up on a golf cart and galley. you have a much better chance of recognized her from Nantucket. He had recently She also worked on the making your point,” she said. stopped there on his tour around the Northeast on ‘If you can argue Cohn has also been involved a yacht carrying a banner saying “Follow me to Fort 166-foot M/Y Coco (later M/Y Nadine) with Capt. Mark Elliott, from a position of in efforts to get the B1/B2 visa Lauderdale.” recognized in South Florida as The next day, he and she captained a 70-foot knowing, you have a Striker for owner Ted Aronson appropriate visa for yacht offered her a job, much better chance of the for a time. crew, getting yacht crew of all and Cohn became “Four of the owners I worked making your point.’ levels recognized as essential the first female for were in the top 10 of Forbes – Patience Cohn on how workers during the pandemic, dock attendant at wealthiest people at the time,” Pier 66. being crew helps her fight for and minimizing the impact of the Cohn noted. “It was a smaller “I had come the industry every day high-speed train bridge over the pool of owners then, and I guess I New River in Fort Lauderdale. down with just a was lucky.”

Captains with issues arriving duffle bag,” she She came ashore in the mid-1990s and or staying in South Florida can contact Cohn for remembered. “It freelanced for a while before settling down and advice or help (patience@miasf.org). would be a year getting married. She found another marina “The association is here to help businesses do before I went back management job through Stroud in Hilton Head, business,” she said. “If boats can’t come here, to Nantucket.”

South Carolina, and then came back to Miami to businesses can’t do business.”

She worked manage the Jockey Club.

Cohn joins an elite group of South Florida her way into the She began volunteering at MIASF on the marina marine industry professionals who have won the office and wound up managing the marina. But Golden Anchor award. then she started dating Capt. Craig Tafoya, and she and boatyard committee and was soon elected to the board. Eventually, she was called on more “It’s an amazing group,” she said. “I mean, joined him on the 70-foot Trumpy M/Y Doubloon and more to help then-President Frank Herhold Bob Roscioli [Roscioli Yachting Center] and Joe as cook/stew. They would work on that yacht five manage his schedule of meetings with politicians, Rubano [RPM Diesel Services] have won it. They years, cruising all over the U.S. East Coast, the built businesses. I’m just really grateful to be Great Lakes, the Caribbean and the Mediterranean. lobbyists and legislative staff working on issues recognized because I do put my heart into it.”

“The pay was great and they treated us well, why related to the marine industry. She was officially hired by the association in 2005. would we leave?” she said.

Cohn is the behind-the-scenes muscle on Cohn would go on to work on several legendary Lucy Chabot Reed is editor/pubisher of The Triton. most regulatory and legislative issues that touch yachts – and their legendary owners – of the Comments are welcome at lucy@the-triton.com. large yachts in South Florida and, increasingly, 1980s and ’90s, including the 139-foot Feadship

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