His wife also came to the Coastguard Wānaka base to help pinpoint his exact position.
Once on the water, the crew searched the area in question in “challenging conditions” with strong winds, about 1m of swell and poor visibility.
Coastguard Wānaka president and skipper Dave Brown said their team spotted him “very quickly”.
“The man was found in the water, clinging to a seat cushion for flotation,” Brown said.
“He was dressed in heavy camouflage hunting clothing, which made him difficult to see. When rescuers reached him, he was suffering from hypothermia.”
Water temperatures on the lake were around 10C and it’s believed the man may have been in the water for up to an hour.
“Our crew got him out of the water, into warm clothing and blankets and began treatment straight away before transporting him back to the marina, where he was handed over to ambulance staff,” Brown said.
The rescue crew included a doctor.
“He got the best care possible – you couldn’t get any better in those circumstances,” Brown said.
“He was pretty lucky.”
Coastguard is reminding all boaties to wear a lifejacket at all times and to check weather conditions before heading out.
“The key message is simple – always wear a lifejacket. And always check the forecast. The weather wasn’t great, and conditions can change quickly on the lake.”
Brown was proud of the “swift” response from volunteers.
“It was an extremely quick and co-ordinated rescue. From launch to recovery, the crew performed exceptionally well in difficult conditions.”