A Tauranga sailor, who heroically towed a man and his overturned dinghy safely back to shore, is sure anyone would have done the same thing.

Berrick Fitzsimons was going for a sail in the harbour off The Strand about 2.15pm on Saturday when he spotted a man in the water clinging to his overturned dinghy.

Tauranga Boys' College student Berrick Fitzsimons rescued a boatman on the Tauranga Harbour. Photo: Facebook.

The 17-year-old Tauranga Boys' College student says the man, who was not wearing a life jacket, seemed relaxed, but was calling for help when Berrick approached.

Berrick sailed to the man told him to climb aboard so he could tow him back to shore, but the man was reluctant to leave his dinghy behind.

'He didn't seem like he was (in trouble). I think if worst came to worst he would have just ditched his boat and swam to shore.”

The man threw Berrick a rope, who then attached it to the sail boat and towed the capsized dinghy with the man clinging on, to the Matapihi side of the channel.

On shore the pair managed to right the dinghy and empty the water out.

'I wasn't totally sure I could do it, but I just towed it over to the shore so he could empty it out.”

Once the dinghy was emptied Berrick then towed the man, this time in his dinghy, back to the other side of harbour, coming ashore at The Strand.

Berrick has been sailing at the Tauranga Yacht and Power Boat Club for about six years and says he has never saved anyone before - but he would do it again.

'I'm pretty sure everyone else would have done the same thing. I don't know what I would have done otherwise – I wouldn't have just sailed away. I couldn't really leave him there.

He hasn't talked to the man since the rescue, but says he was pretty thankful.

'At least he got his boat back.”

Berrick Fitzsimons.