THE father of a teenager who suffered electric shock in a boating accident has paid tribute to the man who brought the boy back to life.

Michael Holmes was on the shore on Saturday afternoon when his son James sailed a small metal yacht into high-voltage power lines.

Witnesses estimated that 11,000 volts of electricity went through the 13-year-old's body.

"I heard the first bang - it's terrifying, you just don't know what's going on," Mr Holmes said. 

New Auckland resident Ryan Pearce was at the Dolphins Sea Scouts event with his two sons, and was first to reach James's lifeless body.

"Ryan pulled him out of the water... he gave him two emergency breaths, then James started blubbering; his eyes were open," Mr Holmes said.

Another volunteer, Quentin Redshaw, helped Ryan get James to shore, and to his dad.

"I spoke to Ryan yesterday morning; (he) had a rough night... there's not enough words to say how grateful I am," Mr Holmes said.

Paramedics transported the teen to Gladstone Hospital before he was flown to Brisbane's Royal Children's Hospital, where he is continuing treatment.

He has suffered burns to his thigh and hands.

But the brave youngster is sitting up and cracking jokes.

"He says he's going to do autographs, but he reckons he'll wait till his hands have healed," Mr Holmes said.

"The response from the emergency services crews, the Gladstone Hospital, the team at the Royal Children's - all that fantastic work is the reason James is sitting up now."