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The boy was swept across Scarborough's South Bay by the wind and tide
A lifeboat crew was left in "awe" of a 10-year-old who survived for more than an hour at sea using advice he had seen in a BBC TV documentary.
The boy had been reported missing in the sea at Scarborough, North Yorkshire, on Friday.
The town's lifeboat crew later found him floating on his back, with his arms and legs spread, shouting for help.
His actions are those the RNLI recommends to anyone who might find themselves in difficulty in the water.
'Terrifying and stressful'
The inshore lifeboat was called just after 19:00 BST on Friday after the boy was reported missing near the town's Spa.
The RNLI said the boy was eventually found near the Vincent Pier after being swept by the tide and wind right across the bay.
Lee Marton, coxswain at Scarborough lifeboat station, said: "We were told he'd been watching lifeboat rescues on the BBC documentary Saving Lives at Sea and had followed the advice given on the show.
"We're very much in awe of this incredible lad, who managed to remain calm and follow safety advice to the letter in terrifying and stressful circumstances. Had he not, the outcome might have been very different."
'Float to live' advice
The 'Float to Live' advice is a key message in the RNLI's national drowning prevention campaign, Respect the Water It urges people to follow potentially lifesaving advice if they find themselves in trouble after falling into cold water Fight your instinct to swim hard or thrash about - this can lead to breathing in water and drowning Instead, relax and float on your back until you have regained control of your breathing You can find more advice on the RNLI's website.Source: RNLI
The boy was reunited with his family at the lifeboat station before being taken for a precautionary check-up in hospital, the RNLI said.
Friday was the hottest day of the year and the third hottest ever recorded in the UK, prompting thousands to head for the country's beaches.
HM Coastguard said it recorded its highest number of daily call-outs in more than four years, dealing with 329 incidents, including people cut off by the tide and reports of missing children.
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