Question about prone to pop-up

[Jarv]

Wonder if someone could help me on what I am doing wrong. Just started surfing (well trying to anyway) in the North of England. Anyway having done some lessons on large foamies I decided it was time to get a board and ended up with a 7'9 Bic Natural Surf.
What I was wondering is how I should lay on the board and use the prone position. As far as balance goes I find it easier to lay on the board waiting for a wave with my feet just hanging over the back (I am around 6' BTW). However is this wrong as shouldnt I have both feet at the back of the board for when in the prone position or is this normal?
Also the board came with 3 fins. When learning is it better to have all the fins on or maybe just the middle one??

Cheers

[little waves]

i am a beginner as well, and ride a bic 7'9". don't know if this will help you, but here goes... when waiting for a waves i was told the best position to wait is to sit on the board, if you lay, i guess it is not good for you back/neck in the long run - maybe for a little while it won't bother you. i am still trying to master the perfect place to sit on the board so that when i lie down to paddle into a wave i am in the correct spot. seems to be sitting with the nose slightly out of the water, towards the back of the board, that way when you lie down you are towards the back. my experience, to far forward causes the board to nose dive soon as you pop up.

as far as the fins, im not really sure. i bought my board used, and all the fins were already attached, and i never really thought to take the two side ones off. haven't had any problems with all three on there, not sure what difference it would make.

[namino tsume]

im not sure about what youmean by prone position.,.. so i cant really answer that (im not a longboarder)

as to the fins, not unless you buy a new middle fin. Cuz as a begginner you want as much stablity as possible. take off a fin anywhere you lose stablity. However if you buy a new longer middle fin, you gain stablity with just that one fin, but there expensive and not worth it yet. Just go with what you have, all three.

[babyboarder89]

^ prone postion is lying down. ( i think)

yeah, sitting is best i fin, some peple lie down but i think its more stable to sit. but maybe thats just me.
as for the fins id leave em on.

[Brent]

As soon as you can get out of the habit of lying prone on the board while you wait for waves. Sitting higher you'll see more, you'll rest better between paddling bouts & better for you neck.
Lie down when you see a wave coming...then paddle.

Actually, wee tip here, watch an expert on a shortboard..if you watch closely when sitting on their boards they wait till the last moment before lying & paddling why? Because just at the last moment while sitting they instinctively sink their board abit at the back and when lying down it shoots forward abit - kind of like a cork pushed down then coming to the surface again, they use this momentum, converted to slightly forward movement, combined with a couple of efficent paddles to catch a wave easily. Understand? Hope that makes sense...

[sinistapenguin]

Sitting up is definitely the way forward - it is better for your neck, but also to get from lying, facing out to sea, to turn round takes a lot longer than if you are sitting.

Sitting does take practise, but it will allow you to see good waves earlier as you are higher out of the water and let you see 'sneaker sets' that would otherwise wipe you out earlier, this lets you get into position or out of the way much quicker.

As for the fins thing - stick with the 3. 3 fins give you much better control and allow for a much more powerful ride.

Think about sitting - if lying down was more effective, everyone would do it!!

It is well worth the practise and you will find that you can master it in about 20 mins really!!