: ..... Technique is everything though with a GP.....
: ..... The GP works much like a wing....

One of the demonstrations I used to do was hop in a whitewater play boat and perform endos from a standstill using the same GP I use every day for paddling, to silence those who pontificated that the GP was only good for high cadence touring, and lacked the low-end torque required for surfing, whitewater, etc. Practically as soon as I began paddling I became fascinated with the racer's full body forward stroke, and over the years have read everything I could find, bought videos, acquired actual training, and practiced incessantly. I can now develop enough power to break paddles (and other stuff), and have learned to work with my equipment as opposed to pouring 100% into it. Or in other words, I agree with Mr. Hamm. It ain't the paddle, and I'll be happy to demonstrate. :-)

Always remember: you are perfectly free to experiment to your heart's content with wider blades, and any other parameter, all you want .... and in fact, you should. It's all legal! And if any purists object, beat 'em to death with it; the paddle is sufficiently stout, and no jury will convict you. My preferred stick is 3.5" x 81" with a 17.5" loom. It might be a point of pride for some how narrow their blades can be, but I use what develops the low-end power I need while being comfortable at cruise.

Incidentally, snapping a carbon fiber paddle is a bittersweet experience. It makes you feel pretty darn hairy-chested, but it also entails breaking an expensive paddle, having to finish the day with the POS spare, and generally ending up with a handful of graphite splinters which is not fun. GP's don't fail catastrophically, and you can generally limp on in taking it easy.