A boatie says he is lucky to be alive after being mowed down by a speeding boat on Lake Taupo.
Andy McEwan, 65, from Wellington, was fishing 300m from shore on Saturday when he saw a boat heading straight for him. With conditions and visibility perfect, he assumed it was someone "playing silly buggers".
But as the boat got closer Mr McEwan looked again and could not see anyone at the helm.
"I looked up and thought my God it's on a direct collision course with me," he said.
Just 10m from impact, he flung himself on the floor of his 5m Kiwi-Kraft pontoon boat.
"There was an almighty 'wang' - he went full speed right into the side. It then went right over the top of the boat," Mr McEwan said.
"It was like a James Bond movie."
The impact smashed his side railing and canopy and left the boat half full of water.
Mr McEwan estimates the 7.4m aluminium boat that careened over him was travelling at 30-35 knots, well above the 5 knot limit.
After the collision the driver returned to swap details.
"He was ashen faced," Mr McEwan said.
"I gave him a fair bit of verbals."
Mr McEwan suffered minor injuries to his hip, back and eye. Despite this he knows he got off lightly.
"I am a very fortunate man and I thank my lucky stars," he said.
He is also grateful he didn't have a companion, as he usually does. "If anyone was sitting in the back seat they would be gone."
His aluminium boat had some significant damage although he was able to drive it back to shore.
"This is a lesson to all of us that you have to be eternally vigilant in the water," Mr McEwan said.
Deputy Harbourmaster Heath Cairns confirmed an investigation was under way.
"It's pretty obvious from the damage that it was hit at high speed," he said.
Once the investigation is complete, a decision will be made whether to refer the case to Maritime New Zealand for further action.
The near-miss comes after a 36-year-old Rotorua man was killed in a collision on Lake Ohakuri on January 2.