Intermediate Progression Halt.

[Matin]

Thank you for reading. I've been surfing for one year (intermediate) and been having difficulty with wave count, pop-up foot placement, quality of ride, and progression in general. I am 5'11 135 lbs and extremely fit and surf about 3-4 days a week. Riding a 6'1. On some waves after I pop-up I will realize that my foot placement is off and will either wipe out or ride the wave real awkwardly. This problem began after I put in these new FCS 2 neo glass fins and immediately the next session I was having difficulty.Or the problem may simply reside in my board as it is very thin. However the times that I do hit it I have a lot of fun experimenting with turns and generating speed. I've saved up a bit of money so I am open to a new board or set of fins that may solve my consistency issue. It may seem that I am trying to "run before i can walk" with this board and I believe that with a different board or set of fins I will be able to progress much faster.

[oldmansurfer]

I think you overestimate your level of surfing. I think also you overestimate the effect of changing fins. Why not change back to fins you had before?I don't know about the board but suspect your surfing level is below the skill required to use that board efficiently. However i am just going to ignore that because others will say something more meaningful. I can tell you how I changed my popup once. I wanted to make my stance more powerful with my rear foot perpendicular and placed at a point where there was maybe an inch of extra room on the board on the toe and heel side of the tail. I made a very precise cardboard cutout of my board and practiced popping up placing my feet very carefully in the right places. Then slowly worked on my speed. I slid this cardboard under my bed and practiced every morning when I first got up and every evening before I went to bed plus more often if I wasn't surfing. It took me about 2 months till I was doing it all the time surfing. I am sure the others here will have more to say about fins and board and ...other things?

[Matin]

Yo man thanks so much for leaving a reply! I do practice my pop-up on an old ass board I have that is cracked beyond repair and I do fine on that regarding foot placement. Also i think that your right about the fins it wont make a big difference unless I have enough experience to notice the difference.
As for my board here are the exact dimensions: 6'1'' x 11 3/4 x 18 1/2 x 14 1/4 x 2 3/8
Maybe a board "connoisseur" could recommend me something that will be easier to catch waves with and a little more stable. For example there was this guy out the other day who would literally take 2 paddles to get into the waves and his board looked just like mine; it seemed as if the wave just picked him up he didn't even have to move.

[Big H]

Maybe a board "connoisseur" could recommend me something that will be easier to catch waves with and a little more stable.

Wider in the nose, wider in the tail, wider in the middle, thicker, longer.

[jaffa1949]

Maybe a board "connoisseur" could recommend me something that will be easier to catch waves with and a little more stable.

Wider in the nose, wider in the tail, wider in the middle, thicker, longer.

Apart from Big H's description of me, Your surfing is being hampered by too small a board, if you are not catching waves cannot pop up, you are a beginner, it is not the fins! If you want to prove that to yourself. Put the old ones back in and face the bald hard truth , the guy that was really doing it everywhich way on a board similar to yours had skill you haven't even developed yet. The dimensions of your board are high performance , once again not you yet.

So 9ft 22". 3" rounded tail find it's easier for paddling and catching waves , more stable for pop up.
Get one and enjoy.

[waikikikichan]

I've been surfing for one year (intermediate) and been having difficulty with wave count, pop-up foot placement, quality of ride, and progression in general.

You want to PROGRESS to what ? You want to progress to more advance moves ? Will first you need to work on your Bottom Turns. The bottom turn is the basis for all the maneuvers after you pop up. Turns, Airs, Barrel riding and most important.....SPEED all come from a good bottom turn first.

You want to PROGRESS out of what ? Being a Intermediate ? If you need to still practice popping up and still can't figure out foot placement then you are still in the BEGINNER stage. Nothing wrong with that. That's the fun time. Once you got your paddling down, take offs, bottom turns, going both back side and front side, starting to making simple cutbacks CONSISTENTLY ...... THEN you'll be in the Intermediate stage.

( and 18 1/2" is too narrow for you. )