Firm given clear orders to build a boat (7)
I believe the answer is:
coracle
'a boat' is the definition.
(I know that coracle is a type of small boat)
'firm given clear orders' is the wordplay.
'firm' becomes 'co' (a firm is a company).
'given' says to put letters next to each other.
'orders' indicates an anagram.
'clear' anagrammed gives 'racle'.
'co'+'racle'='CORACLE'
'to build' acts as a link.
(Other definitions for coracle that I've seen before include "See boat" , "Small rounded boat" , "Oval rowing boat" , "little boat" , "One-man wicker boat" .)