It was ferries to the rescue after a yacht caught fire at Kangaroo Point on Thursday morning.

A Brisbane CityCat was first on scene when smoke began billowing about 9.40am from the yacht moored directly opposite the Riverside Ferry terminal.

The ferry operator handed the crew a large fire extinguisher according to witness Peter Strempel, and then moved around to spray water on the yacht with its water cannon before docking.

A fire crew arrived about 10am on a CityFerry, but thanks to the first vessel and two nearby boaties the fire had been extinguished by the time they arrived.