Gongola gondola

[Paucle]

I might've had a prayer-in-hell of getting this before the hint if I hadn't double brain-spazzed.

I was scanning WEST Nigeria for possible names that could ANAGRAM into a boat.
Now, getting the question style correct wouldn't have helped, but I'm thinking that had I been looking in the east as I should have been and run into Gongola, maybe my brain would have fizzled alive and I might've realized I needed a one-letter.

[Staley]

I do that "looking for an anagram when the question is a one-letter" (or vice versa) thing a couple of times a week at least.