Filed under: Travel News
Stuart Crang rowed his 8ft dinghy to the rescue after spotting canoe instructor Richard Brown and his partner Sue Taffler in trouble off the coast near Brixham.
The pair were left stranded at sea after their Pico sailing boat filled with water and capsized.
Although they did not believe they were in life-threatening danger, Mr Brown said they had been in the water for about 45 minutes and were also in danger of losing their boat.
Stuart towed them back to shore using a rope in a trip that took about 30 minutes.
He told the BBC that he lent a helping hand because "I was there, and I care about people, and they were in danger".
Stuart's father Nigel said: "All he had was a bit of rope about 4ft long, which he tied to the front.
"The couple didn't want get in his boat in case they capsized him out, and he towed them for 30 minutes for about half a mile."
"We're very proud of what he's done."
Mr Brown said Stuart was an "absolute star" and he was rewarded with a card and boxes of sweets.
According to NBC News, rescuing people is in his genes; Stuart's father Nigel is part of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution's crew, while his brother Jonathan, 23, is part of the Torbay coastguard team.
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