Vessel just about wrecked (1-4)
I believe the answer is:
u-boat
'vessel' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)
'about wrecked' is the wordplay.
'wrecked' indicates anagramming the letters.
'about' with letters rearranged gives 'U-BOAT'.
'just' is the link.
(Other definitions for u-boat that I've seen before include "German submarine of WW2" , "German WW 2 sub" , "Submersible warship of WWII" , "German World War One or World War Two submarine" , "Sea vessel" .)