The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 8 letter word BARGEMAN
I've seen this crossword clue in The Times
B
A
R
G
E
M
A
N
More clues leading to the result BARGEMAN
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "boater" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case boater = bargeman.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 BARGEMAN mean?
BARGEMAN noun- A member of the crew of a barge.
- A barge owner, maintainer, or captain of a barge.
- A large white maggot that frequently infested ship's biscuits; most likely a larva of the cadelle beetle, Tenebroides mauritanicus.