The Unoffical Event Report

"The Grinners" team were the winners of the Perc Perdriau Sportsmans' Challenge 2012.......staged at the Sydney Flying Squadron on Saturday 25th August, bathed in sunshine, winds light and variable from the north.

The "Perc", as this annual reunion of skiff sailors and supporters has now been tagged, reached new heights of team excellence in sportsmanship, and behavior throughout the competition. The Black Flag threat by the Judges at the Team briefing definitely worked....the event ran something like this.
The newly varnished Historic 18ft Skiffs were rolled out into the SFS rigging park to form an arc, appropriately bows in towards the Yendys, the replica skiff built by Ian Perc Perdriau and Col Baily as the "Skiff of Honour".
At precisely 1200 hrs, Commodore Billy Loader, sounded his horn and hoisted the AP and declared the Bar open, and announced that there would be a delay to the start, as the buses bringing the troops down from the Pittwater were stuck in Sat. morning shopping traffic.
By 1230 hrs the buses had arrived, the AP down. The now gathered troops numbered 150, give or take a few and not counting kids and babies. Col Bailey took control and had the gathered troops raise their first beers to Perc Perdriau.
The magnificent perpetual "Perc Perdriau Trophy" was unveiled, and then the fun began.....13 mixed Teams were hastily formed (6 more than the inaugural event of 2011) , formally registered and the SIs feverishly poured over. The 13 entered Teams would now go to war for the "Perc 2012" honours.
Eight unique sports would be contested and points awarded for each and tallied at the end of competition. The sports being: Horseshoe Hurling (skill), Spinnaker Stropping (time & skill), Sail Boules (skill), Hugging Margret Perdriau (style & warmth), Darts (skill), Rowing which became paddling (skill), Prawn Challenge (time), and the Clamp Challenge (time).
Now, the main intent of the "Perc" Organising Committee is to stage a huge reunion of sailors, supporters and other interested sportsmen, annually at the SFS in memory of one of the greatest bastards of our time, Perc Perdriau.
And importantly, with the realisation, as the bath water runs down, that to make an annual excuse, being the "Perc", to bring everyone together to celebrate the good times spent sailing, which is way better than catching up at some poor bastard's funeral, is a good idea which it would appear, is definitely working.
The "Perc" is also, by virtue of the silly sports offered for the competition, a very funny event, where the Judges of the eight sports are totally corrupt, especially for cash bribes. Put simply, to win the "Perc" you need to bribe hard and often. All the cash raised through predominately, bribes, raffles and profit from the F & B, went to the account of the Australian Open Skiff Trust for its fleet of six Historic 18ft Skiff replicas racing at the SFS and its next build project...Billy Barnett's 1951 JJ Giltinan Champion skiff, "Myra Too"

Official Podium Results of the "Perc 2012"
1st. Place and Green Jacket - Team The Grinners helmed by Linda Baker....high cash investment and skilled performance, with unanimous support of the Judges.
2nd. Place - Team The Clamps helmed by Nick Bradshaw .....nice effort, better luck next year.
3rd. Place - Team Aberdare helmed by John "Woody" Winning......a predominately French squad led gallantly.
Team Woody Point Yacht Club won the "Top Bribing Team" and won 12 bottles of Shiraz for their generosity.
Last Place went to Team Como's Homos, helmed by Peter Lawson due to a heavy penalty, after spilling red wine on a Judge and Sir Robert Brown,  during the Prawn Challenge.
The Organisers of the "Perc 2012" would like to thank all those Teams and supporters who attended, especially the newcomers this year, and we hope to see you all again next year for more fun and games and hugging Margret Perdriau......well played!

Images by generous Snappers ...... you know who you are ... sourced by 'Killo'

Article by Robert 'KIllo' Killick