The canoe is damaged, I note, by the sea (7)
I believe the answer is:
oceanic
'sea' is the definition.
(similar in meaning)
'the canoe is damaged i note by' is the wordplay.
'is damaged' is an anagram indicator.
'note' becomes 'c' (musical note).
'by' means one lot of letters go next to another.
'canoe' is an anagram of 'ocean'.
'ocean'+'i'+'c'='OCEANIC'
'the' is the link.
(Other definitions for oceanic that I've seen before include "Relating to large areas of sea" , "Of the open sea" , "Relating to the high seas" , "description of rollers" , "vast waves?" .)