Sailors start to cut rations eight ways (4)
I believe the answer is:
crew
'sailors' is the definition.
(as in a ship's crew)
'start to cut rations eight ways' is the wordplay.
'start to' suggests taking the first letters.
The first letters of 'cut rations eight ways' is 'CREW'.
(Other definitions for crew that I've seen before include "Gave wake-up call" , "was triumphant" , "Group of operators" , "Boat's workers" , "Ship's operators" .)