Police, Ambulance and CFA members were called to the Warrnambool Breakwater about 2.15pm but were not required after good Samaritan crews from two other boats stepped in.

The man was helped on board one of the boats while the other pulled the sunken vessel up and to shore.

Warrnambool recreational fisherman Rodney Blake said he and his crew were coming back from fishing in Peterborough when they saw the 14ft fibreglass half cab had tipped over.

“We went over and sussed it out and ended up towing him in,” he said.

Mr Blake said he believed the man in the boat had tried to pull the anchor up when the rope got caught on the propeller.

“It went down pretty quickly,” he said. Mr Blake said the boat was then towed very slowly back to the beach where he and others helped the man drag the boat to shore.  “We could only tow it very slowly,” he said.

“Structurally it’s fine but the outboard is buggered.”

Mr Blake said he didn’t know the man but he would have helped anyone else in a similar circumstance and the man had been very grateful for the assistance.

He said the most important thing was everyone was safe.

He said his crew of Graeme Perryman and Billy Slater had helped ensure everyone was safe. 

“I’d like to thank my crew on the boat,” he said. “They were very helpful.”