Practical maritime judgment informed by ship operations around the world. Navigation, towing, logistics, mooring, and salvage support—with a focus on safe execution and efficient use of resources.
From the bridge of a ship to the coordination behind a complex recovery, my experience is rooted in the practical demands of getting the job done.
I’m Harry B. Sprague V, a Master Mariner and Pearl Harbor harbor pilot. I’ve operated ships around the world and am comfortable working globally. My career includes ship command with Military Sealift Command, harbor and ocean towing, navigation, logistics, mooring, and participation in salvage and search-and-recovery operations.
I’m interested in the decisions that make an operation work: clear procedures, effective coordination, sound shiphandling, and efficient use of people, equipment, time, and money.
Experience across the work on the water—and the planning and coordination that make it possible.
Confined-water shiphandling, voyage planning, and bridge resource management. Experience with ECDIS, radar/ARPA, AIS, visual and celestial navigation, and parallel indexing to cross-check a vessel’s position.
JUDGMENT ON THE BRIDGEHarbor and long-distance ocean towing, pre-tow inspections, hookup and disconnect planning, and tow connections at sea. Experience coordinating bridge, deck, small-boat, and diver teams during towing evolutions.
PREPARATION THROUGH EXECUTIONCargo-loading plans, vessel stability calculations, stores transfers, and mission-support logistics. Experience coordinating deck layouts, equipment, medical support, and partner requirements for NASA Orion recovery preparations.
THE RIGHT RESOURCES, IN PLACETwo-, three-, and four-point mooring operations, anchor placement and recovery, and research-platform support. Experience includes lightweight mooring-system deployment and modified Mediterranean mooring using both anchors.
CONTROL AT THE INTERFACEVessel salvage, aircraft recovery, and historical wreck search and recovery as Third and Second Mate. Hands-on experience includes precise manual station keeping for ROV work, side-scan sonar operations from a workboat, and at-sea resupply.
EXPERIENCE IN COMPLEX MISSIONSBuilt a Microsoft Access system for training records, emergency assignments, and muster sheets. Developed budget spreadsheets and structured inspection-preparation workflows to improve coordination and resource oversight.
PURPOSE IN EVERY STEPMaintenance planning, vessel repair requests, contractor coordination, crewing, and return-to-service readiness. Experience includes four mid-term availabilities, two regular overhauls, and numerous voyage-repair periods.
FROM WORK PACKAGE TO READINESSCertificate of Inspection preparations, Alternative Compliance Program requirements, ABS Safety Management System audits, corrective actions, and Coast Guard Form 2692 reporting and closure.
REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS IN PRACTICEShip command, harbor piloting, and hands-on participation in towing and recovery missions.
Plan and direct arrivals, departures, berth shifts, and docking evolutions in Pearl Harbor. Evaluate vessel maneuvering characteristics, traffic, weather, channel and berth constraints, and tug requirements; coordinate the plan with masters, bridge teams, tug crews, and port personnel.
Held command responsibility for vessel operations, crew leadership, safety, security, maintenance readiness, and mission execution. Developed deck-officer shiphandling training, adapted budget tools for department heads, coordinated with USCG and ABS, and maneuvered Grasp into and out of drydock at Vigor in Portland.
Supervised deck personnel, maintenance, drills, work assignments, payroll, and department resources. Coordinated shipyard work and crew training across departments; developed a crew-records database and vessel-specific training, drill, and inspection schedules.
Served as navigator, watch officer, and Medical Person in Charge aboard towing and salvage vessels. Supported salvage, towing, and recovery missions; filled a Chief Mate vacancy on Salvor while also handling navigation and medical responsibilities, including planning support for NASA Orion recovery operations.
Bachelor of Science
Marine Transportation
California Maritime Academy
Bridge resource management · Crew development · Shipyard planning · Regulatory coordination · Budget oversight · Procedure development · Emergency response
Selected examples of shiphandling, towing, mooring, and mission support. Early salvage and recovery work was performed as Third and Second Mate; my Orion planning work included acting Chief Mate responsibilities.
Experience includes pre-tow inspections, deck-equipment preparations, long-distance tows, and re-establishing tow connections at sea. Served as small-boat coxswain during recovery of a secondary tow wire for ex-USNS Kilauea.
Supported Operation Guardian salvage efforts as Third Mate aboard Salvor. Maintained position near the operating area, coordinated with support vessels, and operated small boats for at-sea personnel and stores transfers.
Supported recovery of an F-15 in more than 3,000 feet of water. Maintained precise vessel position manually with engines, rudder, and bow thruster during ROV operations, rather than relying on an automated dynamic-positioning system.
Participation in search-and-recovery operations involving several Second World War wrecks in Papua New Guinea and Japan.
Participated in towing and mooring the Scripps research platform FLIP. Also supervised lightweight mooring-system deployment and recovery for a four-point moor supporting Undersea Rescue Command dive and salvage training.
Worked with NASA and Navy personnel on cargo-loading plans, deck equipment layouts, stability calculations, and medical-support logistics. Coordinated preparations while covering both navigation and acting Chief Mate responsibilities.
As Master, maneuvered the vessel through a 180-degree turn within her own length to back into the berth. Used port and starboard anchors for a modified Mediterranean mooring, adapting to the berth and local coordination constraints.
Government service has shaped my perspective on operational accountability and responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars. I bring that same attention to public and private operations.
Is there a safer, clearer, more efficient way to accomplish the mission?A GUIDING QUESTION
Understand the mission, conditions, people, equipment, and constraints before recommending a change.
Look for unclear responsibilities, duplicated effort, unnecessary steps, and gaps between a written procedure and the work itself.
Favor clear procedures, better coordination, and changes that operators can actually use without compromising safety.
Ask what each use of time, equipment, and money contributes to the mission—and where a better approach could reduce waste.
Selected examples of systems I built, teams I coordinated, and operational readiness I supported.
Rebuilt Kaiser’s station-bill and training-record program in Microsoft Access. Combined crew information, training expirations, emergency assignments, and departmental muster sheets in a system that automatically updated assignments and muster records.
Developed vessel repair requests used in shipyard work packages, coordinated with Chief and Port Engineers, and planned maintenance, crewing, leave, and STCW training around repair periods. Supported Kaiser’s regular overhaul and post-yard inspection and training requirements.
Worked with ABS, the U.S. Coast Guard, shipyard managers, and contractors on inspection requirements and corrective actions. Experience includes a five-year COI under the ABS Alternative Compliance Program, an ABS external SMS audit, and Form 2692 reporting and closure.
Created and adapted Excel budget tools for overtime and department responsibilities. Organized inspection preparation by assigning test requirements to responsible officers, and developed shiphandling, emergency maneuvering, firefighting, and lifesaving training.
Worldwide operating experience. Open to global project-based collaboration in maritime operations, training, and efficiency.
Review navigation, towing, mooring, and logistics procedures for clarity, practical execution, and coordination.
Examine operational workflows to identify bottlenecks, duplicated effort, resource mismatches, and avoidable delays.
Develop or review checklists, practical case studies, operational scenarios, and maritime training materials.
Support work-item organization, repair-period coordination, inspection preparation, and tracking of corrective actions using practical shipboard and regulatory experience.
Connect about an operational challenge, a project, or an opportunity to make maritime work better—wherever you operate.
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