Surfing Waves

Sorry to do this yet again to everyone here. I've been lurking for a few days, reading up on others suggestions, but I'd like specific recomendations from anyone willing to help. I also posted this in the longboard section, but it's sat their all morning with 18 views, and no replies...

I'm 6'4" 225lbs. I actually just broke my pelvis in January, and after starting rehab, I've started to loose a bunch of weight (I was 242 entering rehab). Sitting on the couch (doctor's orders) for 2 months, didn't help and I had a good beer muscle going anyway. By summer I should weight easily under 220lbs.

Last year the wife wanted to get into surfing. I didn't know anything about it, and she went to a shop here in RI and ended up getting herself a NSP surfing betty 6'8" funboard. She obviously wanted to go surfing as much as possible last summer. I hate the beach, but would go anyway with my camera gear. That would only entertain me so long, so I'd end up renting whatever they had at the beach, and joined her in the water.

I have pretty good balance and ski, waterski, snowboard, and wakeboard. They usually would have everything rented except for a 10' spongy softopper or something way too short. With the 10' spongy thing I could get up no problem, but after an hour of 2 on that it got booring because it felt like a damn log. I've also tried the wife's 6'8" but that's a bit too small for me. I can paddle it, although it barely floats me, and I can catch waves on it. I just can't stand up on the thing longer than .5 secs Laughing ... I normally jump to my feet and then fall right off...

So after a summer with about 4 sessions on 10' sponges and about 3 sessions on the wifes 6'8" funboard, I'm looking for something for me. I have a budget of $500 for the board. I've searched high and low for used longboard and that market is very small and fast moving here in RI. The shops hardly ever have any used inventory, and it usually flies out the door in a day or two. I've narrowed my search down to the Chinese boards that are poly from Aussy blanks, but finished in China, or a NSP/Southpoint epoxy longboard. I know the bad wrap that the NSP/Southpoint boards get as pop outs here for their weight, and bad shapes... I'm wondering if it would be a good first board for me. I like the added durability they have, and the price for sure. I'm looking at a 8'6" southpoint as my first board. I want something that will be slightly challenging, but not impossible at first, but also short enough that I'll be able to have fun with it down the road.

Is an 8'6" Soutpoint a decent first board for me? Should I go with a poly chinese board instead? Should I go longer? I've already put $200 down on the 8'6" Southpoint, but they said that $ can go towards any board in the shop if I decide against it. The guys in the shop said they would usually recomend a 9' to a n00b like me, but since I can get up on a 10' super easy they said a 8'6" would be a good challenge, but workable. It comes to $491 with tax and everything. The have a few chinese boards that are $25~$50 more that would be similar...

Here in RI the waves seem to be knee to waist most days with a few head to overhead days durring huricane season. I'd want something that can surf in knee high and up if possible.

Thanks for any help!

Ben

Dude, my advice to you would be look into a hybrid. My surf conditions are much similar to yours considering i'm just above you in Canada on the east coast. The Hybrid boards can handle alot of different types of surf conditions. They are not impossible to get up on, and you can do some pretty sweet moves with them.. it defenitely won't feel like riding a log.

If you're waves are going to be consistently small like 4 feet and under, try a fish. They are loose and wobble alot, but they are fast as crap on smaler waves. Fish is a type of hyrbid.