An emotional Ludde Ingvall warned the push to make super maxis faster was threatening safety in ocean racing after skippering Nicorette to a second Sydney to Hobart line honours win.

Having hugged the Tasmanian east coast through gale-force winds, Nicorette flew down the Derwent River under spinnaker to cross the line at 5.10am, finishing the 628-nautical mile bluewater classic in two days, 16 hours and 44 seconds.

Hopes the time might be enough to make Ingvall the first skipper in 17 years to claim a double line honours-handicap win were dashed a little over eight hours later, when British 55-footer Aera took the overall lead.

It mattered little to Ingvall, who fought back tears as he arrived at Constitution Dock, saying he needed to consider whether he would again enter the race he first won in 2000.

The Scandinavian-born, Sydney-based sailor said luck may have played a part in his brand new 90-foot yacht completing the race while last year's winner Skandia floated upside down in the Tasman Sea with a snapped keel.

Super maxis Skandia and Konica Minolta both retired from the race after suffering structural damage in freak waves, opening up the race for Nicorette.

Sydney 66-footer AAPT was second over the line, more than six hours behind Nicorette, to give skipper Sean Langman three consecutive top three finishes, while George Snow's Brindabella finished third.

Ingvall said he was concerned modern yachts were becoming too quick to let fly in big seas.

"They are so fast that in the wrong hands they'll be very dangerous," he said.

"When you're seeing what's happened to Skandia, and I don't know all the details, but I mean I would hate to lead 15 smart, beautiful young men into that kind of a disaster.

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