BRITTON, CHARLES SCHUYLER II (6 July 1932-13 May 1993) was a ship manufacturer and founder of Douglass & McLeod Plastics Co., later known as Tartan Marine Co., the world's first fiberglass-sailboat manufacturer. He also served as president of the BRITTON FUND, incorporated in 1952 by his parents and M.J. Mitchell.
Born in Cleveland to BRIGHAM BRITTON and GERTRUDE HASKELL BRITTON, Charles attended school in BRATENAHL, graduating from UNIVERSITY SCHOOL (1951) and Trinity College (1955). Charles served as an operations officer in the U.S. Navy (1956-1958).
As a child Britton competed in the "snipe" class races at the Mentor Yacht Club. He was captain of University School's sailing team and competed in intercollegiate racing. In 1958, while stationed at Tokyo Bay, Britton built his first sailboat, "Temba", a 42-foot ocean-going craft. In 1959, along with two friends, he completed a 204 day, 22,000 mile voyage from Japan to New York. He continued to sail competitively throughout his life, winning every major offshore sailboat race on Lake Erie as well as world class events.
In 1960, with Ray McLeod of Douglass and McLeod Inc., Britton founded the Douglass & McLeod Plastics Co., in Grand River, changing its name to the Tartan Marine Co. in 1971. The company became the world's sixth largest builder of fiberglass sailboats complete with onboard engines. Britton sold the company in 1983 following disputes with the United Steelworkers of America, and the National Labor Relations Board.
Britton married Lynda Rounds on 27 April 1961. They had three children, Schuyler, Terence and Timothy. Britton, an Episcopalian, is buried in LAKE VIEW CEMETERY.