Caress member of boat crew (6)
I believe the answer is:
stroke
'caress' is the definition.
(I know that caress is a more specific form of the action stroke)
I don't understand the rest of the clue.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for stroke that I've seen before include "row" , "Blow - gentle touch - apoplexy" , "Caress; batsman's hit" , "The leading oarsman could have a paralysing attack" , "It's caused by interruption in blood-flow to the brain" .)