Long John Silver maybe hoisted mainsheet up, managing clips (7)
I believe the answer is:
amputee
'long john' is the definition.
The definition and answer can be both people as well as being singular nouns.
Perhaps there's a link between them I don't understand?
'silver maybe hoisted mainsheet up managing clips' is the wordplay.
'AMPUTEE' is hidden back-to-front in amongst the letters.
However, I'm not sure how the hidden word is indicated.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for amputee that I've seen before include "Person with a limb severed" , "One with missing limb" , "One who has limb surgically removed" , "One who has lost a limb" , "Person who has had limb removed surgically" .)