What strikes me is that the candidates schedule is so full, it didn't seem like there was much time available for extra instruction. Were there opportunities for candidates to help each other, or was it more the instructors who helped out?
Were you more willing to help out a fellow candidate who you KNEW had genuine strengths in other areas, and who would then "carry" you where you were weak? How reticent are candidates to bond and support, when they are unsure of who will be there the next hour or even minute. Were there men who you just knew you could count on because you could read the determination in them?
Does the senior officer candidate choose boat crews or do the instructors? Were boat crews evenly matched in respects to complementing strengths and weaknesses?