rs 21 sailboat price

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48° North Boat Test

From the May 2019 issue

In 2018, the British small boat specialists, RS Sailing, came to market with a new keelboat that has been generating a lot of excitement; and now it’s come to the Pacific Northwest. By the numbers, it might not seem particularly unique – it is one inch shy of 21’, displaces 1,433 lbs, draws 4’ 6”, and carries its 7’ 3” beam well aft. Yet, after sailing it, there is both a ton to like about the RS 21, and also a lot to distinguish it from its competitors.

The intent from RS Sailing was not to create the fastest 21’ sport boat in the world. In fact, much of the design intent is built around a different priority, and an RS rep told me they aren’t even calling this a sport boat. The RS 21 aims to be quick to plane and a blast to sail, while emphasizing simplicity in its systems, design, and sailing experience; all of which put it squarely in the conversation for the best available club racer and training platform. Sport boat enthusiasts might have noted that the displacement seems a tad on the heavy side for a sport boat of this size. This can be at least partly explained by the choice to endow the boat with 730 lbs of ballast. That better-than-50% ballast-to-displacement ratio clearly fits the design ethos.

The boat has a distinct and eye-catching appearance, sleek and low-slung, somewhat reminiscent of an RS Aero on steroids. I liked it from the jump. Its chamfered bow design and hard chines maximize waterline and denote modernity. Unlike nearly all of its competitors, it is an open-boat design; meaning there’s no cabin or doghouse of any kind. The boat actually is all cockpit. Forgoing what would be a tiny interior anyway means that there’s a much greater sense of space for the crew and more real estate for ergonomic rigging. There’s still a water-tight hatch in the bow that offers a surprisingly generous amount of storage for crew bags, lunch, and your beverage of choice.

The structure of the one design class is taking shape and will be inviting. The boat will be sailed with three or four, and there’s no legs out hiking allowed, making it comfortable compared to some sportier alternatives. There are restrictions on sail purchases, sail cloth usage, and professional sailor involvement, meaning an effort is being made to keep the cost of racing the boat fairly low.

I got to go sailing on the RS 21 on a puffy April day in Richmond, CA. Seeing no outboard on the transom, I assumed we would be sailing off the dock, but then Jake Sorosky, the sales rep for West Coast Sailing (the regional RS dealer) in Washington State stepped to the middle of the cockpit, released a line that was keeping the electric Torqueedo of the water, and asked me, “You want to drive us out?” This innovation is a clever solution to the auxiliary power problem on small sport boats; anyone who has ever done the contortions to stow an outboard down below will appreciate the set-it-and-forget-it ease.

We began sailing inside the harbor in flat water with wind affected by geography and some massive commercial traffic, and mystery puffs and lulls from seemingly every direction. Driving and trimming main, I had to stay on my toes but found it easy to keep the boat on its feet. After a while, I fought my instincts and started letting the big lifting puffs heel the boat without easing. We even tried powering-up in the puffs, inducing excess heel while close-hauled to see if we could lose the rudder. We couldn’t. This kind of sailing is neither comfortable nor fast, but such stability and drive-ability boggles the mind. One word that RS uses to describe the 21 is forgiving, and this is definitely accurate.

Sailing beyond the breakwater into 15-20+ knots of breeze against San Francisco Bay tide, I was aware of the boat’s relatively low freeboard. It tracked beautifully and stayed pleasant to drive, but digging a wave didn’t just slow the boat, it sent a bit of water through cockpit. Careful driving minimized this tendency. The boat seemed to like backstay and the jib, which has athwartships-adjusting leads, could be sheeted hard and still gave great shape and a well-proportioned slot.

Upwind or down, it’s a combination of hull form and foil shape, in addition to the ballast, that makes it eminently drivable. This puts the RS 21 in stark contrast to some of its closest competitors, boats that may be faster and more powered up, but that require much more nuance of tune and trim to drive easily.

You might think all of this stability and ease makes the boat feel slow. Hardly! It was just about as easy to get on a plane as any keelboat I’ve sailed, and declaratively easier than some. It never felt heavy to me, but rather stiff and stable. We weren’t using any instruments, but on an easy plane, I’d guess we were happily cruising along in the low double-digits, pushing into the low teens in the puffs.

Of all the features, the one that gets the double-edged-sword award, in my opinion, is the mid-cockpit pedestal that doubles as a housing for the Torqueedo and the bar for the mainsheet attachment point (there is no mainsheet traveler). The backstay adjustment is also here, as is the double-ended main sheet that may be trimmed from forward or aft of this pedestal.

It has numerous positive attributes. Sheeting the main from an aft and above-the-deck position means that the boom can be trimmed to nearly centerline. Keeping the lifting motor there retains the full range of tiller-motion at the transom and keeps the weight better centered. It’s an easy foot push for the crew seated nearby. And finally, the arch in the middle is an exciting asset as a hand-hold for sailors who struggle with balance or mobility. A recent J/70 world champion installed something somewhat similar to aid him in getting from one side of the boat to the other, and this pedestal could do the same for RS 21 sailors.

The potential downside of this element is that it really is in the middle of everything. On jibes, in particular, we had a couple issues in which the extra main sheet would get caught on parts of this pedestal. There will surely be a learning curve for someone regularly sailing the boat, and it’s far from an insurmountable challenge.

Considering these unique attributes, who is the RS 21 really for? It will be a great first boat for anyone entering sport boat sailing, whether they’re adults getting into it or kids coming out of high school or college racing. Because of its simple and user-friendly approach, I think it will be a popular choice among sail training programs and clubs that provide race boats for fleet or match racing. And, among the boats of similar design, I would call the RS 21 the easiest to day sail, either short handed or with an inexperienced crew. So with this in mind, a fair answer to the question above could genuinely be: everybody.

Joe Cline has been the Managing Editor of 48° North since 2014. From his career to his volunteer leadership in the marine industry, from racing sailboats large and small to his discovery of Pacific Northwest cruising —Joe is as sail-smitten as they come. Joe and his wife, Kaylin, welcomed a baby girl to their family in December 2021, and he is enjoying fatherhood while still finding time to sail, make music, and tip back a tasty IPA every now and again.

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Sailboat specifications

• Last update: 25th April 2020

RS 21's main features

• 2019: SAIL magazine - Best Performance Boat under 30ft
• 2019: Sailing World - Boat of the Year: Best Keelboat

RS 21's main dimensions

Rs 21's rig and sails, rs 21's performances, rs 21's auxiliary engine, rs 21's accommodations and layout.

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New Boat: RS 21

• By Dave Reed
• Updated: January 19, 2018

According to a news release from England’s RS Sailboats, New RS21 is aimed to “to help bring popularity back to keelboat racing.”

RS Sailboats, winner of multiple Sailing World Boat of the Year awards over the past few years has certainly become the most progressive builder of new dinghies and small keelboats. They’re integrated into many sailing programs in Europe and the United States, and with direct feedback from program directors, they’re listening to what new and experienced sailors desire, and this boat, they say, is the result of exhaustive development.

The price range is the “mid-30s” with asymmetric spinnaker package (plus inbound freight), says RS’s Riki Hooker, but that’s not a firm price, yet. “The RS21 keelboat responds to the need for a progressive, simple and affordable solution for keelboat clubs that increasingly see the opportunity for fleet ownership, league competition and training,” says Hooker.

We look forward to sailing the boat in when it arrives in the States later this year, but until then, here’s he new-boat announcement straight from the source:

Development of the boat was inspired by direct approach to RS Sailing by several leading keelboat programs. The design puts close racing over ultimate performance – convenient ownership over complexity – it maximizes low maintenance and value. This is the boat to bring wider availability, enjoyment and popularity back to keelboat racing.

The RS21 is both high quality and a sound financial proposition. Realistic costs allow appealing club charter fees – or affordable investment by syndicates of sailing friends. Team up and do it together.

RS Sailing’s sustainability focus means the RS21 also leads the way in terms of eco-friendly construction, with the hull built at Cowes on the Isle of Wight using bio-derived resins and recycled core materials. The deck design and lifting or removable keel system facilitate stacking for freight and travel efficiency. An optional rechargeable and retractable electric propulsion system is also integrated into the design. This boat is all about the future of sailing, in all its aspects.

RS 21 Stats

LOA 6.34m – Beam 2.2m – Draft 1.38m

No-hiking rule

2-part carbon fiber mast – for convenient storage and transport

Retractable carbon composite bowsprit

One Design and Club sails specification options

Optional symmetrical spinnaker

Optional integrated, rechargeable & retractable electric sail-drive propulsion

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The RS21 responds to the need for a progressive, simple and affordable solution for keelboat clubs that increasingly see the opportunity for fleet ownership, league competition and training. Pay-as-you-go. Team up and do it together. The RS21 is specifically designed for fleet purchase, with attributes that will appeal to individual buyers as well. It puts close racing over ultimate performance. Convenient ownership over complexity. It maximizes low maintenance, value and pure sailing enjoyment. This is the boat to bring wider availability and popularity back to keelboat racing. Realistic costs allow appealing club charter fees – or affordable investment by syndicates of sailing friends. The RS21 is a safe purchase and assured of success.

Sailing World Article on the RS21

OVERARCHING DESIGN GOALS

• Progressive design for simple and affordable club & syndicate ownership
• Balanced, quick and enjoyable sailing as a team
• Evenly matched, close racing prioritized over ultimate performance
• Robust and simple to maintain – efficient fleet operation
• Sustainable aspects designed and built in
• Eco-friendly construction using bio derived resins and recycled core materials
• Contemporary styling for appeal that reflects cool boats of the era
• Maximum waterline length
• Balanced rocker line for good performance across the wind range, at the expense of maximum speed at one end or the other
• Pronounced chines add form stability as the boat heels and shed water for a drier ride
• Lifting bulb keel – encapsulated in GRP skins
• Removable internal keel crane
• Composite transom hung rudder – removable
• Tiller extension
• Large open cockpit with comfortable space for four crew
• Open transom for rapid draining
• Layout and systems allow handling by two crew if required
• Minimal obstructions reduce bruises
• Large central hatch for stowage of sails etc within the boat, adding operating efficiency
• Center mainsheet can be trimmed by helm or crew
• Kick bars give ergonomic and secure positions for all crew
• No-hiking rule aids racing enjoyment, communication and widens strategic input
• Deck designed to allow one hull to stack on another – for efficient event transport and improved sustainability aspects
• Carbon composite mast reduces weight aloft to improves handling
• Light weight and pivoting heel make the mast easy to raise by hand
• Two-part mast – store / travel within the boat
• Durable aluminium alloy boom
• Carbon composite bowsprit
• Quick to rig – 20 minutes from trailer to launch ready
• Durable construction Club sails & larger Race sails options
• Mainsail with single slab reef system
• Trouble free hanked-on jib

SAIL HANDLING SYSTEMS

• Large cockpit with comfortable space for 4 crew
• Simple layout with clearly understandable controls
• Large gennaker bag for efficient hoists / drops

ELECTRIC PROPULSION SYSTEM (OPTIONAL)

• Torqeedo motor system integrated into hull & deck design
• Sits almost invisibly behind the keel / under the mainsheet system
• Prop leg can be raised while sailing – bottom fairing plate closes the hull recess
• Central speed control unit & removable / rechargeable battery pack

ELECTRONICS / INNOVATIVE COMMUNITY

• Built-in data logger – capable of sending info to a remote online site
• Allows communication between owners, crew and all participants
• Share anonymized data – compare performance – learn – improve
• Manage calendars – advertise for & find crews
• Speed / depth functions – display mobile devices
• Symmetrical spinnaker and equipment (not required for one-design Class racing)
• Mast head wind indicator
• Shore cradle with wheels
• Road trailer
• Warps & Fenders pack
• Anchor pack – inc chain / warp / bag

*Boat price doesn't include freight from Zim Sailing to Customer

RS 21s take on San Francisco Bay

The weekend after big boat series, two RS 21s made the trip do...

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