Should be normally open.

Help (resized).jpg

Your image above, I think you will find is the Bounce switch (Not Tilt as per OP) which is NC. and if open, the "S" Re and many others, will not energies.

Yeah, get yourself a schematic if you don't already have one. Looking at the bottom of the schematic, you will see the first couple of loops include the hold relay the Tilt relay in the start relays. Often times when I'm diagnosing this kind of problem, it is related to the hold relay not holding or as mentioned above, one or more tilt switch is not being in the correct position. You must check them all very carefully.

If there are credits on the game the start/replay button should do something. Here's the schematic from the four player version Surf Champ which should be similar if not the same:
Surf Champ replay button (resized).jpg
Ask if you're not familiar with diagnosing the circuit.

/Mark

In MarkG post you can see the bounce SW. This is the SW in the OP, make sure it is closed.

I found a Surfer schematic and it's the same as shown in reply #5 except that the "3rd Pos Coin Unit" label is replaced by "CX" (2nd Player relay). Also, the wire between the Motor 1C and Motor 2B switches is maroon-green (I think - it's kind of fuzzy).

It makes more sense to call it the anti- cheat switch.