never surfed before. what would be a cost effective longboard for me? what length and thickness? l live in huntington beach and would surf in huntington beach...

Buy one with steel reinforcing.

250lbs.dang ur a fat one

go surfing or make your own your options r to
go to a skateshop that sells them and find the one you like
or google it/ amazon it not as good tho

l got a soft top from costco a few months back that is 9'4'' and it was only $100. l added it to my collection pretty dang fast lol and its a really sturdy board, actually.

p.s. im 5'10'' and a board thats 9'4'' is plenty big.

everyone is stupid...do not listen to the idiots. is there a way you can RENT one and try it out? since you have not surfed before, and you probably do not want to spend all that money just for something you might not want to do after the first time. look into renting.

It depends on how often u wana go. If ur just going like once a week then a long soft top board around 7 to 8 feet is good. Doyle boards r a good brand to start out with, u can usually find them at sport chalet during the summer. But if surfing is something u wana stick with & get good at, then u may wana get a fish style surfboard. Its thick, pretty easy to ride for starters, its short around 6 foot 5 at most, & is a high performance board on small California waves. It will be a good board to start out on because its thick & easy to ride, & it will be good in the long run because its fast & turns really smooth for experienced surfers. But u can always get a used board if u want to their usually pretty cheap. l bought a fish board & it was great to start out on, & two years later its still an awesome easy to ride board. l hope this info helped.

hey l got a 10'2'' custom that would be great, l am 6'2'' 255. contact me l will give ya a deal

The city of Huntington Beach offers surf lessons in the summer. There r also a few surf schools in town. They all provide boards & wet suits. You will also get personal instruction on etiquette & safety which is important for beginners. This will allow u to get an idea of what works best for you. You can also rent soft boards & wet suits at HSS on the corner of PCH & Main. The surf shop on 6th & PCH rents hard boards once you're ready. Many of the shops in town also sell used boards. l would start with the lessons.

I'd also recommend taking lessons & renting a board before putting out the cash to buy one before u even know if you're going to like it.

You're going to want a nice, thick longbaord, (at least 9'). They're the easiest to learn on & will float u fine.

If u live in Huntington I'd take lessons at Bolsa Chica State Beach. l do not know the names of the companies that do lessons there but there r several & Bolsa is a GREAT place to learn.

Here is a terrific article called 'Learn How To Surf In One Day' that l always recommend to beginners:
http://beachtrading.com/learn-how-to-surf.html

Have fun!

Here, check it brah. l was born & raised in downtown Huntington & still live there. Today l turn 34, I've been surfing 24 years now & have been all over the world. The only person (besides me) u should listen to above is the chick who suggested u should rent. Great idea!! You're 5'7'' 250 & want a longboard right? I'd suggest u start with a standard 9'0 thruster (three skegs). Also, you're gonna want something that is gonna really float u well. So I'd say like 3.5'' thick with tapered rails (rails that thin out). Start there, feel it out, & try different dimensions until u find something u like & r comfortable with. Good luck. Happy hunting, & stay towards the Golden West side of town until u get a little more comfortable in the water. Mahalo.