Pininfarina and Argos Nautic Reinvent The Yacht Tender With Sleek F-330

If you have ever spent time on a yacht, you know the tender is what gets you everywhere that really matters — from the mothership to the marina, from the anchorage to the beach bar. But for all their utility, tenders have historically been pretty uninspiring pieces of kit. Functional? Sure. Beautiful? Not so much.

That’s exactly what Pininfarina and Argos Nautic are out to change with the F-330 Design by Pininfarina, a compact jet tender that looks more at home on a concept car stage than tethered to a swim platform.

What Is the F-330 and Why Does It Matter?

The F-330 is a compact jet tender, the kind of small boat that ferries passengers and gear between a larger yacht and shore. Traditionally these vessels are RIBs (rigid inflatable boats) that are built purely for practicality. The collaboration between Pininfarina, the legendary Italian design house behind some of the most iconic automotive designs in history, and Argos Nautic flips that script entirely.

The goal from day one was to build a tender that could stand on its own as a genuine design object, not just a nautical afterthought.

The Big Innovation: Closed-Cell Foam Replaces Inflatable Tubes

Now here’s where the F-330 gets technically interesting. Traditional tenders rely on inflatable rubber tubes around the hull for buoyancy and protection, you know the look. But the F-330 ditches those entirely in favor of closed-cell foam technology. The result is a more sculpted, expressive hull form that simply isn’t possible with standard inflatables, plus real-world benefits including superior durability, reduced weight, and better structural integrity.

One of the most practical wins of this approach is that it maximizes usable deck space without increasing the overall length or beam compared to competitors in the same class. You get more room to move without a bigger footprint, a critical advantage when deck space on a yacht is at a premium.

Performance and Handling on the Water

The F-330 runs on a hydro jet propulsion system, which keeps the configuration clean and compact while delivering excellent handling and responsiveness. Jet-drive tenders are well-regarded for their maneuverability in tight spaces — think congested marinas and shallow anchorages — and the lack of an exposed prop is a genuine safety plus when passengers are getting in and out of the water.

Pininfarina’s design process started with a deep focus on how the tender is actually perceived, accessed, and experienced. That user-centered approach shaped the deck layout and the overall proportions of the boat, something that’s refreshingly rare in a segment that’s mostly been driven by engineering constraints rather than experience design.

Key Features at a Glance

The F-330 packs a solid list of practical and design-forward features into its compact footprint. It sports a fold-down center console that opens up the deck when you don’t need it, a large and flexible deck layout, seating for four to five passengers, a low-profile silhouette that looks sharp from every angle, and a distinctly sporty deck design that carries clear Pininfarina DNA.

Together, those elements add up to a tender that can legitimately pull double duty – utility vessel by day, head-turner at anchor by evening.

The Vision Behind the Boat

Ignacio Vadillo, President of Argos Nautic, summed up the philosophy driving the project, and he speaks from experience.

“As a yacht owner, I’ve always believed that a tender should feel like a natural extension of the yacht, not an afterthought. Working with Pininfarina gave us the opportunity to challenge conventions and create a tender that balances performance, practicality, and strong design identity. The F-330 represents a new chapter for Argos Nautic and for the jet tender segment as a whole.”

Pininfarina’s Nautical Legacy

If you know the name Pininfarina, you probably know it from the automotive world. The studio has been responsible for some of Ferrari’s most celebrated designs, among hundreds of other iconic cars over nearly a century in business. But the F-330 is part of a growing push into the nautical space, where the firm is applying the same proportional discipline and attention to detail it’s famous for on land to everything from compact tenders to full superyachts.

Founded in 1930, the company has designed over 1,300 automotive and mobility projects and more than 650 product and architecture projects, earning over 70 international design awards in just the past decade.

About Argos Nautic

Argos Nautic was founded in 2009 and is based in Miami, manufacturing design-driven, semi-custom luxury yacht tenders for the global superyacht market. The company has carved out a reputation for blending advanced engineering with refined aesthetics, and the F-330 is arguably its boldest statement yet.

Their lineup spans high-performance RIBs to next-generation jet tenders, all built around the idea that the tender should be an integral part of the yacht’s identity, not just a lifeboat with a motor.

Where to See the F-330 in Person

Argos Nautic debuted the F-330 at the Miami International Boat Show, which ran February 11–15, 2026, at Miami Beach Yacht Collection on Collins Avenue (Booth IC 513–513A).

If you missed seeing it in Miami, be sure to follow Argos Nautic’s channels for upcoming show appearances, as this is one tender worth seeing up close.