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<\/p>\nASTON \u2018Titch\u2019 Cayzer was lucky to have turned 13 years old when he left school to take up a boat building apprenticeship in Queenscliff.<\/p>\n
It was the beginning of a wonderful career that would see him hone his craft while working alongside his father, Bob, in what would eventually become the renowned Cayzer family business.<\/p>\n
By the time he retired in 1987, Aston had built about 240 wooden boats \u2013 along with a few steel boats for special customers \u2013 and passed on his knowledge to many others including his sons, Allan and Keith, and grandson Daniel.<\/p>\n
Allan spoke proudly of the legacy left behind by his adored father who sadly passed away on October 7 at the age of 96.<\/p>\n
He said the marine industry legend was given a fitting farewell at a private service held at the site of his old Beach Street slipway which was named in honour of the Cayzer family earlier this year.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was a little resistant at first but I couldn\u2019t have thought of a better way to have a service for dad than on that location with boats going up and down the creek, it was just quite remarkable,\u201d Allan said.<\/p>\n
Aston was born in 1924 and was proud to be a fourth generation Cayzer residing in Point Lonsdale, which now stretches to seven generations.<\/p>\n
He was a loving husband to Joyce (dec), grandfather to eight and great-grandfather to 14.<\/p>\n
Allan said his dad was a polite and quiet man with strong values and who was always respectfully dressed in a jacket, tie and a hat.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe worked together for all of those years and we didn\u2019t disagree because he didn\u2019t want to disagree,\u201d he recalled.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat was his nature \u2013 he never argued with anybody.\u201d<\/p>\n
Aston was also someone who liked to teach others and he was delighted when his grandson Daniel undertook a boat-building apprenticeship and took the helm of Cayzer Boats.<\/p>\n
\u201cDad was very passionate about wooden boats and he had the eye for that and the skills needed,\u201d Allan said.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe was dedicated in building the boats as strong as possible because he often said to us \u2018they\u2019ve got to be built to the best standard and as strong as possible because these guys can\u2019t walk home\u2019.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe never wanted anything to happen to our boats.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was hard, heavy work and we used to laugh and say \u2018keep fit and trim in Cayzer\u2019s gym\u2019 \u2013 that was a standard joke.\u201d<\/p>\n
Allan said his dad had overcome a few health setbacks in recent years but suffered a debilitating stroke two days before he passed away.<\/p>\n
He said Aston was buried with some Huon pine shavings, caulking cotton \u201cto keep him busy\u201d and a model couta boat.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt just fitted in with who he was because<\/p>\n
Huon pine is a remarkable timber and we loved building boats with that,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
ASTON \u2018Titch\u2019 Cayzer was lucky to have turned 13 years old when he left school to take up a boat building apprenticeship in Queenscliff. It was the beginning of a wonderful career that would see him hone his craft while working alongside his father, Bob, in what would eventually become the renowned Cayzer family business. […]<\/p>\n