Crossword Genius

Boat to swing off course to port (4)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

yawl

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'boat' is the definition.
(yawl is a kind of boat)

'swing off course to port' is the wordplay.
'swing off course' becomes 'yaw' (I can't justify this - if you can you should believe this answer much more).
'to port' becomes 'L' (abbreviation for L - 'port' is 'left' on a boat).
'yaw'+'l'='YAWL'

'to' is the link.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for yawl that I've seen before include "Sailing vessel with two masts" , "Sailing-ship" , "Two-masted sailing vessel" , "Ships small boat" , "boat? The reverse" .)

I've seen this clue in The Globe and Mail.
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