The RS Sailing RS 21 Race Race 2018 vs RS Sailing RS Cat 16 Club 2013 comparison sits squarely in the category of decisions where specs alone won't tell the whole story — intended use, storage, and long-term ownership costs all factor in.
Size is the most obvious dividing line here. The RS Sailing RS 21 Race Race 2018 measures 20,1 feet overall (2018), giving it roughly 4,5 additional feet of deck space compared to the RS Sailing RS Cat 16 Club 2013 at 15,6 feet (2013). Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the RS Sailing RS 21 Race Race 2018 tips the scales at 1 433 lbs — 1 124 lbs more than the RS Sailing RS Cat 16 Club 2013 at 309 lbs. That difference is meaningful if you're working within a half-ton or three-quarter-ton truck's tow rating, especially once you factor in a motor, gear, and fuel.
For family outings this is probably the sharpest distinction between the two. The RS Sailing RS 21 Race Race 2018 is rated for 6 passengers, while the RS Sailing RS Cat 16 Club 2013 caps at 4. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the RS Sailing RS 21 Race Race 2018 could be the deciding factor.
Both boats sit in a similar displacement bracket — 1 433 lbs for the RS Sailing RS 21 Race Race 2018 and 309 lbs for the RS Sailing RS Cat 16 Club 2013. Comparable displacement means broadly similar seakeeping behaviour and load capacity, though hull form and ballast ratio will still produce noticeably different sailing characteristics.
The RS Sailing RS 21 Race Race 2018 is rigged as a Sloop while the RS Sailing RS Cat 16 Club 2013 carries fractional_rig_sloop rigging — a meaningful difference in sail handling complexity, upwind performance, and the size of crew you'll need to work the boat comfortably. Helm style differs too: the RS Sailing RS 21 Race Race 2018 uses a 1 tiller versus a 2 tillers on the RS Sailing RS Cat 16 Club 2013. Wheel helms give better leverage and visibility on larger boats; tillers offer direct feedback and simplicity on smaller ones.
Both the RS Sailing RS 21 Race Race 2018 and RS Sailing RS Cat 16 Club 2013 are listed as trailerable, which opens up the freedom to explore different sailing grounds without paying for a permanent berth.
Bottom line: The RS Sailing RS 21 Race Race 2018 at 20,1 ft offers more living space, greater range, and a more substantial offshore capability. The RS Sailing RS Cat 16 Club 2013 at 15,6 ft is the easier, lower-cost option — simpler to crew, trailerable, and a strong choice for coastal and day sailing.