Nominal maker of sails (5)
I believe the answer is:
silas
'nominal maker' is the definition.
The definition suggests a singular noun which matches the answer.
'of sails' is the wordplay.
'of' indicates an anagram (the answer comes from or 'of' the letters).
'sails' is an anagram of 'SILAS'.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for silas that I've seen before include "Armies snarl (anag), novel by 14 21" , "'Uncle . . . . .' , novel by J Sheridan Le Fanu" , "Chap" , "Book by George Eliot" , "' - - Marner' (lit.)" .)