The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 10 letter word SEAMANSHIP
I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
S
E
A
M
A
N
S
H
I
P
More clues leading to the result SEAMANSHIP
- Is he working with sampan, requiring this?
- Wrong emphasis about an ability in the main
- Misplaced emphasis about an ability needed by people on board
- Article has wrong emphasis about ocean-going craft
- Quality shown by good ratings?
- Skill displayed in the main by 26?
- Sampan she and I manoeuvred with such skill?
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "ability in the main" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case ability in the main = seamanship.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 SEAMANSHIP mean?
SEAMANSHIP noun- Skill in, and knowledge of, the work of navigating, maintaining, and operating a vessel.