[whiplash-1]

I have a 1987 Villain III I have had since new. Great boat! With tabs (Ihave the Bennet sport tabs with indicators) it handles rough water with much bigger boats. I should know, I raced it in APBA local and pro classes for 5 years and only 1 race was calm I took 2 -2nds and won every other race with a slightly modified 350 magnum. I was never the fastest boat in every race but bever broke down and the handling saved me many times. I now run a modified 355 (about 400 horse) and have seen 65 a couple of times. I just rebuilt it so I hope for more speed, when broken in, but the boat is very stable and I feel could easily handle over 70.
I've replaced some vinyl (it is the weakness here) a throttle and the voltage gauge. Also the hinges are aluminum and the rough water running made me have stainless ones fabricated. The windshield can also be a problem at the age of the boat but you can tell by looking at it.

 

[whiplash-1]

The new engine runs good but with minor annoyances. Remote oil hoses were leaking, replaced today but filter bracket cracked on tightening one hose so I need another one of those. Carburetor sat too long and pops lean if I hammer it on plane but does fine of I ease it on plane so I'll wait till winter to take apart and just keep easing. Breathers have oil blowing by due to rings not fully seated yet so I'm working on getting baffles for the valve covers. Weather has stunk and every time out Lake Ontario is 2-5 footers so I've had it flying! I'm ready for '06- Hey, where'd it go!?

 

[whiplash-1]

The 85- 87's were true 22' with no swim platform, just 2 swim steps a plexi windshield and a crawl in, lay down cabin. They weighed 3200 lbs with a small block.
In 89 they were redesigned to the one you see in the above posts (the yellow one). They had the exact same hull but a new taller deck with a full fiberglass inner liner, glass windshield, step down cabin with 2 seats and a bed in the bow and molded in swim platform. With the platform they called it 24' but the exact 22' hull was underneath plus the 1' 10" platform (23'10" total). Originally they listed this boat as 3200lbs also but it went slower so they finally weighed it and corrected the listed weight as 4200lbs with the same engine. It was a phenomenally built boat but required much bigger power to equal the speed of the earlier version. A friend had one and could not find a way to mount tabs the way the molded swim platform was. He had a built up 454 (about 425hp) and saw 67mph.