first time surfing today (a few beginner questions)

[reverseswim]

I've been visiting family up here in Stone Harbor New Jersey. I was only able to rent the board for an hour, but I was still excited to go. I dropped $5 for it and ran as fast as i could to the water. I went out, and watched some people for awhile. It was then my time (first time ever) to go surfing. I paddled, caught the wave no problem, pushed down, swept my feet in, and somehow actually surfed the first wave I ever caught. Rode it all the way in. I seriously couldn't believe how easy it was to get up. True I did have a pretty big board (and after some research online i found out it was a foam-type top), but I thought it would've taken me awhile to get up. Oh well, it was incredible!!! I haven't had so much fun in a long time . The hardest part was paddling back out to the waves because noone ever told me what to do when you are paddling into a wave I got rocked by several waves then finally figured out i was supposed to push down on the board and try to push down under the big waves. The fact that i've swam for 14 years competitively probably helped me out with my paddling ability, though I feel i'm paddling too much and probably waiting too late to popup. When is the best time to popup and actually start surfing along?

[tiny2]

when you feel the board accelerate faster than your paddling, it's time... if you stand up and you slide off the back (wave passes you by), you stood too early.

here a hints, if the wave faces are steep and you find the nose digging in water...pearling...thus sending you arse over tea kettle, you can cheat a little bit. decide which direction you want to go before paddling in (based on your position relative to the peak...surf from the whitewater, not to it) and angle SLIGHTLY in that direction. that will help you turn and set a line across the face.

yep. competitive is a real bonus in surfing. i haven't swam a meet in 8 years and i still can put a 3-4 hour session in when its good...

[Guest]

when you feel the board accelerate faster than your paddling, it's time... if you stand up and you slide off the back (wave passes you by), you stood too early.

here a hints, if the wave faces are steep and you find the nose digging in water...pearling...thus sending you arse over tea kettle, you can cheat a little bit. decide which direction you want to go before paddling in (based on your position relative to the peak...surf from the whitewater, not to it) and angle SLIGHTLY in that direction. that will help you turn and set a line across the face.

yep. competitive is a real bonus in surfing. i haven't swam a meet in 8 years and i still can put a 3-4 hour session in when its good...

great, thanks for the help. how far back on the board should my back foot be? I've got a feeling that i'm way too far up near the front of the board.

[tiny2]

assuming your riding a longboard, a good starting point would be to place your feet about where the fin is....roughly 5-10in. from the tail block. it should feel balanced. if the nose is riding way out of the water: too far back. if it's digging in or your feel like you're about to be thrown over the nose: too far forward...enjoy, south tropical swell headin' that way this weekend...