Veteran Canberra sailor Erik Adriaanse was aboard Love and War, one of seven boats that diverted to the scene of a light plane crash on Monday night during the Sydney to Hobart.
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Two people - the pilot and a passenger - were on board the aircraft, a Cessna 172 (VH-PFT), taking photos of the race.
Love and War was in the top five places for handicap honours when it changed course to go to the crash site.
It finished in the early hours of Tuesday morning in 18th in a time of three days, 13 hours, 34 minutes and 48 seconds.
Adriaanse, 64, is the most experienced Canberra sailor in the Sydney to Hobart and completed his 26th race.
Last year, he joined a select group known as the Hobart Heroes in honour of finishing his 25th race - the only Canberra sailor to achieve the feat.
Adriaanse said he might go again next year.
"If I get the invitation and they're mad enough to take me, I would definitely be talked into doing another one," Adriaanse said.
"The milestone was the 25th, that was last year, getting another call-up this year was great.
"It's such a great race to do and it becomes part of your DNA and you've got to keep competing.
"The time will come when you say no more, but I certainly don't feel that way."
Adriaanse was a part of the crew on Love and War when it won handicap honours in 2006, and has won line honours twice aboard Brindabella.
Canberra Ocean Racing Club entrant Namadgi and fellow Canberra yacht C.Q.R.iT Inca were neck and neck as they arrived in Hobart.
Namadgi got the nod, crossing the finish line just after 1pm on Tuesday in a time of four days, five minutes and six seconds.
C.Q.R.iT Inca was a further five minutes back (four days, 11 minutes and 54 seconds), but finished third in PHS Division 2, while Namadgi was sixth.
The eight-strong crew aboard Namadgi was simply relieved to have finished the race after its steering broke on Sunday.
Namadgi crew member Peter Ottesen said the combination of losing the boat's steering, bad weather and Tuesday morning's finish through Storm Bay had turned it into a race of endurance.
"We're really pleased with the result, given we lost our steering, but the No.1 thing for us was finishing," Ottesen said.
"Having everyone healthy and the boat in one piece is what counts.
"We were racing Inca to the finish, they were probably half a mile behind us, there was a bit of competition there."
