Two boaties had to be winched from a Fiordland river after a Christmas Day boat ride almost turned deadly

Coastguard Riverton says the boat the men were on capsized near the mouth of Big River at Prices Point just before 2 on Christmas afternoon.

The pair were found clinging to the hull of the four metre long aluminium boat after the Coastguard were alerted via a personal locator beacon.

Coastguard says the men were winched to safety, and the boat has been recovered.

The rescue is one of 20 over Christmas so far, prompting a reminder for boaties to carry two forms of communication and to wear a lifejacket.