Caught husband aboard earlier boat (8)
I believe the answer is:
schooner
'boat' is the definition.
(schooner is a kind of sailing vessel)
'caught husband aboard earlier' is the wordplay.
'caught' becomes 'c' (cricket abbreviation).
'husband' becomes 'h'.
'aboard' is an insertion indicator.
'earlier' becomes 'sooner' (synonyms).
'c'+'h'='ch'
'ch' inserted into 'sooner' is 'SCHOONER'.
(Other definitions for schooner that I've seen before include "Large beer or sherry glass" , "No chores on this sailing ship" , "boat" , "Sailing vessel used in former times" , "A measure or glass for sherry" .)