The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 8 letter word WATERMEN
I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
W
A
T
E
R
M
E
N
Buddy explains!
The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does WATERMEN mean?
WATERMEN noun- A seaman, a sailor.
- A man who lives or works on the water; a boatman.
- Someone who distributes or supplies water for a living; a water-carrier.
- Specifically, an attendant on cab stands who supplies water to the horses.
- A man skilled in multiple aquatic sports disciplines, such as surfing, bodysurfing, undersea diving, canoe paddling, fishing, etc.