Several feet behind sailor's quarters (5)
I believe the answer is:
abode
'quarters' is the definition.
(both can mean where someone lives)
'several feet behind sailor's' is the wordplay.
'several feet' becomes 'ode' (I can't explain this - if you can you should believe this answer much more).
'behind' says to put letters next to each other.
'sailor' becomes 'ab' (abbreviation for able seaman).
'ode' after 'ab' is 'ABODE'.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for abode that I've seen before include "Home or domicile" , "Pad" , "Place of residence" , "stay" , "House made of adobe" .)