Man spends hours on overturned tinnie after capsize

A man has been rescued after spending six hours atop his upturned boat off the NSW Far North Coast.

The 74-year-old man set off in his tinnie at 7am yesterday from Dry Dock Road, Tweed Heads.

He had travelled south to Hastings Point and ran into trouble more than 20 kilometres from Nine Mile Reef, where the search began with the Westpac Life Saver Rescue Helicopter, water police and the Volunteer Marine Rescue, when he failed to return home on time.

Jamie Payne spotted the man sitting atop his capsized boat and made the first rescue, bringing him aboard his prawn trawler.

"I saw something in the water and went to investigate and that's when we saw a gentleman sitting on his upturned boat," Mr Payne said.

He radioed the search party, letting them know he'd found the man.

"He was a bit upset that he'd lost his fish because he said he'd had a good fishing trip," Mr Payne said.

"He wouldn't let us put a blanket on him or anything, he actually wanted to come fishing with us for the night!"

He was treated by paramedics for minor lacerations and dehydration.

The fisherman didn't want to speak publicly but expressed his gratitude to everyone involved in the rescue and made a sizeable donation to the Volunteer Marine Rescue.

Point Danger Volunteer Marine Rescue urges all boaties to log on with them when on the water and let them know their movements.