Maritime Biker
By : Captain Steve Happy New Years my
brothers and sisters !
Thankful to see another year and really thankful for this next maritime biker ! As a boatman , we take for granted , all of the modern hydraulic and air controlled steering and throttle controls ... Thanks to James ( J . C .) Cole , they keep getting better ... So from all of us in the industry ... We appreciate you designing the controls that make our job flow like the water .
J . C . started doing electrical work as a teenager for his dad ’ s company . He joined the military at age 20 and worked on electronic surveillance , communication , and navigation systems . After 8 years in the military , he moved back to Houma and got a job with Control General , where he was introduced to the world of maritime .
James started as a service technician , installing and repairing steering systems , propulsion control systems , and machinery alarm systems on OSV ’ s and tugs . Within a few years he worked his way into engineering and has been designing systems since . He has designed systems for a variety of companies like Control General , MarineOne , Abney Electric , EMI , Sentinel Controls , and Beier Integrated Systems . James has visited over 30 countries and 42 of the 50 states including Alaska and Hawaii . He even worked in a few US territories like Guam , Puerto Rico , and Barbados . Needless to say , all that travel kept him off of the road most of the time .
He rode bikes off and on throughout his
life but never Harley ’ s . In 2012 , he ruptured 3 discs in his back and bought his first Harley on the same day . He couldn ’ t walk but he was itching to ride . The first Harley was a 2012 Softtail Blackline . He quit traveling for work and finally had time to enjoy the things he had missed for so long . He upgraded the Blackline to Stage IV . It had a ton of power and was a blast for playing around town but it beat him up too much for any kind of road trips .
Traded it for a Heritage Classic . This bike rode like a dream but was as slow as molasses . He started going to rallies and
other events out of state and really began loving the journey , started getting a “ need ” to go out and ride and upgraded the Heritage for a 2013 CVO Road King ... He finally found the bike that was him ... It has a smooth ride like the Heritage but also has plenty of power with the 110 . It wasn ’ t like the Stage IV power . The Stage IV bike was violent power like a ’ 69 Chevelle with a blown 454 . The CVO was more like Corvette power . It ’ s there when you need but it comes on smooth and glides you up to where you want to be . Riding to him is the best therapy there is . As he rides , the stress of life melts away as the miles go by . He becomes one with the machine as though he is another piece of the bike .. ( As do we all )... So there ’ s J . C .’ s story ... Tell us yours ... If you would like to be featured as one of our next “ Maritme Bikers ”, then email your info to : captstevetrmla @ fmail . com ..
Till next month .... Life ’ s a hitch so keep the shiny side up and the thunder rolling ....
10 January 2017 THUNDER ROADS MAGAZINE LOUISIANA WWW . THUNDERROADSLOUISIANA . ORG