Charles Cotterill Lynam

Charles "Skipper" Cotterill Lynam (15 June 1858 – 27 October 1938) was an English headmaster, yachtsman, and writer.

Biography He was the eldest (in surviving to adulthood) of fourteen children of the architect Charles Lynam and his wife Lucy Emma. Charles Cotterill Lynam was educated at King William's College on the Isle of Man. After graduation, he worked for a short time in his father's office and then in 1879 won a scholarship to Hertford College, Oxford. There he played for the Oxford varsity chess team and the rugby football team and graduated in 1882. During his university days, he cruised and sailed on the inland waters of the River Thames.

Charles C. Lynam enjoyed sailing and cruising and often invited friends and Dragon School's staff members to accompany him in yachting. He disliked being addressed as "Sir" and preferred to be called "Skipper".

As a yachtsman Lynam had a touch of genius. His cruises in Blue Dragon I, II, and III up the west coast of Scotland and across the North Sea to Norway and the North Cape became legendary. In recognition of the latter, a distance of 1387 miles, he was awarded the challenge cup of the Royal Cruising Club.

In retirement, he was a keen sailor and world traveller. At age eighty, after recently returning from a voyage to Australia, he embarked on a voyage from England to Padang aboard M. V. Alcinous (Blue Funnel Line). On the outward voyage, he died of angina and, according to his wishes, was buried at sea on 27 October 1938. R. G. Collingwood, a fellow passenger, wrote a note of sympathy to Skipper Lynam's brother Alfred Edmund "Hum" Lynam (but did not mention that a hammerhead shark and a carpenter's error nearly created an embarrassing situation).