The M/V Zephyr

 The Zephyr is infamously known as the "Red Rocket" on the Mississippi River because it was the fastest towboat of eighteen in the Sabine fleet. It really packs a punch. Unlike many boats, when the Red Rocket punches on the throttle, you can actually feel the acceleration at the bottom of your feet when you are on an empty barge. Your toes get light and your heels get heavy. Now that's power.

The Zephyr is a lowrider. It sits deep in the water and reminds one of a souped-up red lowriding Chevy Impalla. On two different occasions when tied up at a fleet, a neighboring towboater came onboard to notify us that we were sinking. We laughed aloud each time and explained the situation.

John Lerma, George Ramirez, and I were the regular tankermen/deckcrew on the Zephyr at this time. We called ourselves the Three Amigos and took much pride in making the Zephyr the best darned boat Sabine had.

Update, sometime in 1998: After Sabine Towing got consolidated into Kirby Corporation, the Zephyr was repainted Kirby colors - WHITE. To me it'll always be as red as the diesel running in its veins.