What does the cryptic crossword clue "Nautical item is on top of vessel, not bottom (7)" mean?

The definition is "Nautical item". The wordplay uses a charade (building blocks). CAPS (synonym="‘is on top of’") + TAN (synonym="TAN") = CAPSTAN; definition: "Nautical item" The answer is CAPSTAN.

Nautical item is on top of vessel, not bottom (7)

Guardian Cryptic #29192 | 6 Down | 2023-10-04 flower

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