The first "first of the season" impromptu BBQ was held at Hamstead Point Beach by Newtown Creek on the Isle of Wight. Amazing fun, great turn out with 7 boats, over 25 people, children and dogs. With the first great weekend weather, sunshine and a light breeze from the east, and tides perfect for a lunchtime BBQ with High water around lunchtime, we jumped at the chance for this social with the team from Rib-X and Boatshed.

Hamstead Beach is a shingle beach with fairly steep sides at high water, which is perfect for coming ashore, but beware there are strong tides that run along, so either use a stern anchor with a rope from the bow ashore, or drop everyone ashore, then anchor off.

This was more like a "RIB FEST" with 5 RIBS, 4 brand new RIBS from Rib-X, 1 classic 42 foot cruising boat, 1 RIB from the local Boatshed Isle of Wight broker Corinne and 1 speed boat.

The Rib-X ribs cam e from Hayling Island all were al prepared with extra fuel, everyone wore life jackets, kill cords round their legs and extra clothing for when it gets chilly. They left Hayling Island left around 10.30 and arrived in convoy at 12, with the Rib-X models 650, 600, 535 and the baby Rib-X eXplorer 450 model keeping up very easily with the larger RIBS.

Once ashore our resident BBQ expert Curt Mundy set about lighting the BBQ. We brought our very old stainless steel BBQ from our classic sail boat and this cooked easily for 25+ hungry sailors, dogs and children. Stacks of food, everyone brought fantastic steaks, burgers, sausages and hot sauces, plenty of food to go around.

We left the beach cleaner than we found it and there was no evidence of having even been there, always please be responsible and take all your rubbish home.

For all you boat spotters we had the Rib-X team on models: Click the links below to see stacks of photos and full boat spec.

When's the next BBQ?

Keep a look out on Boatshed Twitter for the next BBQ, we'll announce it a few days before it happens.

New Rib's for sale