Minded about the last vessel being touched gently (8)
I believe the answer is:
caressed
'touched gently' is the definition.
'caressed' can be an answer for 'touched' (caressing is a kind of touching). I'm not sure about the 'gently' bit.
'minded about the last vessel' is the wordplay.
'minded' becomes 'cared' (I've seen this in another clue).
'about' is an insertion indicator.
'last' suggests the final letters.
'vessel' becomes 'SS' (prefix in ship names eg SS Great Britain).
The last letter of 'the' is 'e'.
'e'+'ss'='ess'
'cared' going around 'ess' is 'CARESSED'.
'being' acts as a link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for caressed that I've seen before include "Stroked gently and fondly" , "sttroked lovingly" , "cuddled" , "Fondled" , "Behaved amorously" .)