The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 7 letter word CARRACK
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The straight part
We know that "Old boat" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case old boat = carrack.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 CARRACK mean?
CARRACK noun- A large European sailing vessel of the 14th to 17th centuries similar to a caravel but square-rigged on the foremast and mainmast and lateen-rigged on the mizzenmast.