When you're sailing from New Jersey to Dartmouth, developing an engine problem stinks worse than low tide.

John Balletto was forced to dock his Stone Horse in Newport, a grim start to the Builder's Cup — a race specifically for the 23-foot, Mattapoisett-made boats.

However, Balletto became part of the winning crew on August 12, securing first place in the challenge alongside Skipper David Neumeyer, Joy Neumeyer, and Bill McBrine.

Competing against five other Stone Horse boats, the team finished a modified 4.5-mile course in Padanaram Harbor in two hours and seven minutes. The course was modified because winds were too light; two of the boats were not able to complete the race because of the conditions.

"[The winds] were light and shifty, so it was difficult to keep the boat moving," explained McBrine.

"Our strategy was to find wind. We tacked away from the other boats at the start so we keep the wind clean. It's uninterrupted," added Neumeyer.

McBrine explained that only 150 Stone Horses were ever made. Named after the Stone Horse shoals in Nantucket Sound, the boat was designed by Sam Crocker in 1931 specifically for Buzzards Bay, he said.

They were built in the Edey and Duff boatyard in Mattapoisett. The first one launched in 1970, and the last one was built in 1996, McBrine said. Accompanying the boats was the creation of the Builder's Cup, which transferred leadership after the boatyard went out of business in 2009.

That's where Dartmouth resident Tom Kenney stepped in. He's been hosting the race since 2010 at the New Bedford Yacht Club.

"I love the boat. It's comfortable, and it's easy to sail," said Kenney.

The winning boat, Hull No. 2 named "Metaphor," is owned by Jane Duff Gleason, the daughter of the boatyard co-owner Peter Duff. Neumeyer — of Lynchburg, Virginia — spent the summer in Marion, but sailed the boat from its Wareham River docking to Dartmouth the day before the race.

"I like to spend the summer on the South Coast because it's the world's best place to sail," he said. "The wind is so reliable here... except today."

Kenney had originally planned three races for the day, but the slow winds made it impossible.

"It was a funny race because of [the wind]. Everyone was flopping around for a long time,” Kenney said.

Some of the competition's 40 participants hailed from New York, Texas, Wisconsin, Ireland, and Vermont. This was the first time that Balletto had sailed up the east coast for the Builder's Cup, but he has competed in three of the races. On his return, he had to get his boat hauled from Newport.

The race was also delayed an hour because of the heavy morning rains.

Results:

Metaphor, 2:07 — David Neumeyer, skipper; crew, Joy Neumeyer, Bill McBrine, and John Balletto.

Able, 2:13 — Dave Kane, skipper; crew, Christopher Roche, David Hanos, and Whit Bodman.

Blue Jay, 2:14 — Phil McGlave, skipper; crew, Tom Clemow and Alan Gaulke.

Patience, 2:17 — Bob Pirozzi, skipper; crew, David Wilsey, Bryan Guzek, and Melissa Guzek.

Windfall, did not finish —Tom Kenney, skipper; crew, Ellie Whelan, Tommy Kenney, and Pat Sheehan.

Butterfly, did not finish — Vern Tisdale, skipper; crew, Josh Orr and Ship Orr.