Bill Ewen, 78, and Frank Petsch, 62, were officially identified on Wednesday as the Marine Rescue NSW volunteers killed after responding to a vessel in distress near the South Ballina breakwall in the state's north on Monday night.
Their deaths, which have shaken the Ballina community, have been particularly difficult for the tight-knit Marine Rescue unit.
Unit commander Peter Hill delivered an emotional tribute, revealing the team trained together day and night and relied on each other to navigate often-treacherous seas.
"Bill loved getting on the boat for training or on missions. You had to have a crowbar to get him off the boat. He really, really loved it and we're going to miss him terribly," Mr Hill said.
"Frank was a 'yes man'. If you needed anything done, Frank would say 'yes'.
"He was a very strong man and it's hard to believe he's gone."
Mr Ewen's family celebrated the 78-year-old as a devoted family man, who was proud to serve his community.
"We are devastated at the loss of a much-loved husband, father and grandfather, but take comfort from knowing he passed doing something he loved," his loved ones said in a statement.
Locals have left a swathe of floral tributes at the Marine Rescue tower and along the coast, thanking them for their service.
Mr Petsch and Mr Ewen were part of a six-person rescue team deployed to the breakwall after a good Samaritan spotted a yacht in trouble.
But in the face of the 2.5-metre swell and strong winds, their own vessel capsized, ejecting some crew members and trapping others underneath its hull.
Although four members of the team made it to shore, Mr Ewen's body was recovered by a helicopter and Mr Petsch was found dead on the sand.
The body of a man in his 50s, who had been on board the sinking yacht, was found ashore without a life jacket.
All survivors are expected to make full recoveries, although one has suffered four broken ribs and a broken leg.
The capsized vessel was salvaged on Wednesday afternoon and will play a critical role in the police investigation.
The incident has served as a stark reminder of the dangers that come with crossing a breakwater into open ocean, prompting warnings the century-old infrastructure cannot protect sailors from harsh conditions.
Construction on the Ballina breakwaters began in 1889 to create a safer entrance to the Richmond River by reducing the number of breaking waves, but little has changed in its design or construction in the 137 years since, coastal engineer Angus Gordon told AAP.
While the northern wall has been made accessible for foot traffic and activities such as fishing, the more remote southern end is suffering significant challenges.
"The last 50 to 80 metres of the head of the southern wall has been severely damaged, in fact it's below sea level now," Mr Gordon, who is an experienced sailor, said.
"Approaching from the south, you have to be extra careful because the breakwater extends under water well past where you can see it."
Ballina was not known as one of the most treacherous crossings, but in bad conditions - such as those faced on Monday night - it could be extremely dangerous, he said.
Ballina Shire Council Mayor Sharon Cadwallader said improving safety through dredging had been a priority for her community for some time.
"It's quite a graveyard of sunken wrecks on the Ballina Bar," she told AAP.
Dredging sand to increase the depth of the water in the passage, and reduce the chance of dangerous breaking waves, is done regularly by the state government up and down the coast.
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