Two sailors have spent the night aboard a navy frigate after their yacht sank off the south-east coast of New South Wales.

The Frenchmen were forced to abandon their yacht when it sunk in rough conditions about 360 miles east of Jervis Bay yesterday.

The men were winched from a small boat by a Navy Seahawk Helicopter.

The Navy says the recovery operation went smoothly.

"The Rescue Coordination Centre did a great job managing a number of assets including ourselves, fixed wing aircraft and the merchant vessel Williams Strait," said HMAS Perth Commanding Officer Captain Lee Goddard in a statement.

"The final piece of the rescue saw the Seahawk helicopter use its night vision capability to ensure a successful outcome."

The sailors have spent the night aboard HMAS Perth and were suffering from mild hypothermia.

Captain Goddard says the pair are now safe and well on dry land.

"The same Navy Seahawk departed HMAS Perth...and they returned to their home base at HMAS Albatross in Nowra," he said.

"When they arrived the French nationals Bernard and Dominic were met by officials and I've had reported, very happy and very safely on the Australian mainland."

HMAS Perth is participating in a number of maritime exercises in and around Jervis Bay prior to its involvement in the International Fleet Review in Sydney this week.