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 you can see an association between them that I can't see?
'silver maybe hoisted mainsheet up managing clips' is the wordplay.
'AMPUTEE' is hidden backwards in amongst the letters.
But, I am unsure how this 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" .)