Surfing Waves

hey, i dont know too much about surfing, but i'd like to get into it this summer. ive talked to a few friends about what a good starting board would be and they've told me that a foam or epoxy board around 7.5' or longer would do nicely for stability and just learning to ride waves. i was considering a longboard surfboard even before i talked to anyone. so, my question is, are longboard surfboards suitable for starting out and where can i buy a board without breaking the bank? i live in the south bay area, specifically san jose.

ya a longboard is preferable something with a lot of float and width for stability say 9ft+. However if you are athletic a funboard/mal around 7'6+ will do the trick as well

Buy second hand a good place to use is craigs list. No sense in buying a brand spanker as new surfers tend to be heavy on the board

How big & heavy are you, how old are you, how often can you get to surf, can you surf when you want (when theres the 'right' waves)?

Well if you want to longboard. A longboard is 9'plus. Get something or rent something that has very little rocker at least 3" thick and 23- 23 1/2 inches wide. Have fun!!! JMHO