Antique Boat Museum Founder Passes Away

 I recently learned that Robert Cox, co-founder of the renowned Antique Boat Museum (ABM) in Clayton, New York has passed away at the age of 95.

Photo: Antique Boat Museum

 Although I am not an antique boat enthusiast, per se, I do have a lot of respect for those amongst the boating crowd who have the passion and commitment to keep those old boats afloat and protect the history of early boating. Many famous builds of the day came from this area of the world (central Ontario, New York and Michigan) and part of that heritage can be discovered the ABM.

 But the ABM is only a small part of Mr. Cox's story. He also started a Marina in Fort Lauderdale, aptly named Lauderdale Marina, in 1946 - something that forms part of the very history of the city of Fort Lauderdale.

 The property that is now the marina was an old, top secret base used by the American navy during world war two for testing torpedoes and such. Mr. Cox acquired the dilapidated docks and began selling fuel in what what was then a very remote part of Florida. So remote, in fact, that passing boaters actually asked 'how far to Fort Lauderdale' upon their arrival. For anyone familiar with the what the current part of Lauderdale looks like down at the 17th Street Bridge, there are some fascinating old photos to compare with on the marina's web site, as well as their Facebook Page.

 One other interesting pieces of Mr. Cox's life is that he was very active on the political scene in Fort Lauderdale from the 1960's through to the nineties, serving as it's mayor from 1986 to 1991. He is credited as one of the main driving forces that transformed the city into what is now known as the mega yacht capital of the world. No small feat!