Knot cut when hands change spar (8)
I believe the answer is:
bowsprit
'knot cut when hands' is the definition.
I can't tell whether this defines the answer.
'change spar' is the wordplay.
'change' becomes 'bow' (bow is a kind of change).
'spar' becomes 'sprit' (sprit is a kind of spar).
'bow'+'sprit'='BOWSPRIT'
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for bowsprit that I've seen before include "Projecting spar at front of sailing ship" , "Spar projecting from the front of a sailing vessel" , "Spar projecting from front of a boat" , "See component of boat" .)