Surfing Waves

Hi,
ok heres the deal, ive been surfing for a while ( like 25 times), and am now ready to buy a surfboard. Ive heard feedback from many different people and i want to make sure I get the right one. I started surfing last year, i was able to stand up on my first try ( i had been snowboarding for 8 years before this). I soon got really into surfing and started to get out and rent boards. I learned the basics of turning and I can do several tricks on a longboard. When i went to surf shops and asked for help on picking a board they agve me mixed opinions. Some said go longboard some said funboard, others said thruster and others said a fish (just to clarify i want to be a shortboarder). I then consulted the best surfer in my area and he told me that if I had my mind set on shortboard he had a 6'10 cannibal thruster he could sell me. Now I need your opinions guys, what board do you think i should go with? I am 5'6 120 pounds, and athletic. Just to clarify I live on Long Island.
Thanks for all your help.

Well if you can surf..blah blah blah...you could try and rent out a 6'10 and see how you go if its not to good maby go for a bigger board.

well I went and got a 6'10 funboard shape with a swallow tail it has a pointed nose, not sure what that makes it... its dimensions are 6'10 x 21 1/2 x 2 3/4

if you really can surf it doesen't matter what you get you'll figure out how to use it.