What's the problem?

Ok you guys, help me out......last weekend I went out for the first time to try out my wakeboarding abilities, much to my surprise I couldn't even get up on the board. I've always been a great water skier and thought I'd pick this up quickly. Now let me give you a breif discription of how it all went down. The friend that was pulling me said the easiest way to get up on the board would be to hold it sideways (somewhat flat) tuck my knees to my chest and at the point when he took off I should turn the tip of the board pointing forward. Now this never worked, the water force was so great coming over the board that it causes a wake right in my face and the board never got straight in the water. I think he may have been trying to put me up too fast but no doubt I need some good instruction on how to get up in a deep water setting. I know wakeboarding can't be as hard as it was that day. Please help, I wanna ride!

I find the easiest way for beginners is for them to lay on their back in the water and to sit their butt down as close to the board as possible. I find the straighter the legs, the more they either face plant or dont get up at all. You want to also keep your arms straight, if you keep them bent, the rope will rip out of your hands.

video link on how to start for beginners? lol

Just as the boat is about to pull you, sink the board under the water about 6 or 12 inches, then angle it and use it sort of like a wing to cut through the water and bring it to the surface. Once the board pops to the surface point it towards the boat.
Shaun Murray taught me this method at The Boarding School, except he had me starting off with the board totally under water, practically in my normal riding stance.
This will eliminate the water spalshing over your toeside edge and hitting you in the face.

I've been told this board is a "surfing type" board, it has three large removable fins in the back....Is this a good board to begin on? Physics tell me this would create too much resistence when trying to get up on top the water in that stance, should I remove them? here's a pic

Wow you have got your hands on a 2nd or 3rd generation Skurfer if I'm not mistaken.
I learned to wakeboard on a skurfer way back and it takes a bit different strategy to get up than a tradional wakeboard.
The tip needs to be more forward like waterskiing only not nearly as far.
Bend those knees right into your chest and make a ball.
You will have to put pressure on your toes as the boat starts to pull you.
Stay in a really compressed position though until the board planes out on top of the water and you can stand up comfortably.
In my experience quite a bit of the time the problem lies with the boat driver.
Either gassing it so hard the handle snaps out of your hand or going to slow so you loose all your strength.
The driver has to be very aware of what stage the rider is at when pulling up a first timer (or anyone for that matter) and guage the speed accordingly.
I will tell you one thing though... Once you get a wakeboard with smaller fins it will be super easy to get up.
have fun!

Thanks Eastcoast, you've been a big help.