A member of the public performed CPR on a man found unresponsive onboard a damaged motorboat in Mount Maunganui before emergency services arrived.

Fire and Emergency NZ's Mount Maunganui station officer Paul van Kol said firefighters took over after they arrived at the Pilot Quay shore area of Mount Maunganui about 7.50am on Saturday.

"We took over trying to performing CPR on the unresponsive man, including using a defibrillator, and shortly after police and St John Ambulance arrived,"

St John Ambulance staff also worked on the man, but he was pronounced dead the scene.

Police at the scene on Saturday confirmed one man was dead and another man was found with what appeared to be minor injuries.

Police said the man's next of kin had been informed, inquiries were continuing and further information would be released when available.

The popular base walking track around Mauao was still open at the time with plenty of Saturday morning walkers walking past the scene and looking down on to the narrow strip of beach, where the small motorboat was lying on the sand.

Police then closed the base track temporarily at both ends to transport the man's body to a waiting hearse.

Police are continuing to investigate the circumstances of the man's death.

Mark Dittmer, a Maritime NZ spokesman, said the agency was investigating the incident under the Maritime Transport Act and completed its scene examination yesterday.

"We are working with police to determine the circumstances of the incident," he said.

"Maritime NZ will interview the people involved and conduct scene examinations as part of the investigation process. We will then assess all information gathered and make decisions based on that," Dittmer said.