Beginner surfer

I started out in a Bic mini-mal, virtually indestructible and plenty available second hand.
I even made a few quid when I sold it on.

I expect you know this already, but.. Apparently, you need anything that is very, very long. I'm around your size most probably (5' 11") and I believe the surf school hired me something foamy that was around 10 ft. An absolute monstrosity of a thing.

I was about your weight when I started with a Bic magnum 8’4”.
I think Bic is now called Tahe and they do a variety of foam and rigid boards.

Best to rent a foamie till you can get stood up well enough then a bic minimal is a good shout as they're cheap and indestructible. At your weight I'd be looking at 8'+, 60l+

You need volume and length.

As above, just rent until you know better what you want. But when you go into the rental place, you are wanting a longboard.

Be cautious when buying a wetsuit. An ill-fitting suit will knacker your arms when paddling. Always wear a rash vest under the wettie as it reduces friction. Start on the biggest board you can lay your hands on. Learn to spot a rip.

As above……large board and just enjoy yourself. It’s the most fun you can have standing up.

8ft foamie will be big enough without being unwieldy. 10ft board are a beast to handle in and out of the water.

modern wetsuits are so good you don't need a rash vest. I haven't used one in about 20yrs.

I am about you weight and surf a 9'6" long board. A lot is dependant on fitness (surf fitness is quite hard to build without surfing a lot) The bigger the better to learn on I would say a 9ft Foamie as a minimum. You could rent one for the first few times. You don't say how local to a beach with waves you are. If you are going to get in reasonable often then an 8'4" bic is a good board to progress onto. If its just for the odd holiday I would get a decent quality foam board and stick with that. Modern soft boards are very good now.

Learn to spot a rip.

And learn how to swim out of one.

foamies have moved on since most of the folks posting here will have started surfing. I hired a 6'10" foamie for the hell of it in the canaries (based on having surfed alongside some folks on foamies at a couple of reasonably intense spots near bundoran) and hung onto it all week. Also check some of Jamie O'Brien's vids on youtube. Though the good ones aren't that cheap any more. So get a 9" foamie would be my advice.

Oh and btw rashvests under wetsuits are as pointless as board shorts over them (which was a wakeboarding fashion at one time, jawdrop emoji) unless we're talking thermal ones in which case just get a thicker wetsuit. They're worn in warm water to save your skin from a waxy board, which is a useful function. No one's worn them under a wettie since the 90s and I've no idea why we did it then. Fashion?

I'm a beginner surfer; I just went to Jamie O'Brien's YouTube channel and I have no idea what any of it is or what I was even watching.

Another vote for a Bic Magnum, tougher than an epoxy board, cheaper, and less wasteful in production. There's also a company in Taiwan mass producing epoxy boards now for about the same price.

About the only disadvantage is they won't fit in an average sized hatchbacks, whereas an <8ft board will go into a Fiesta if you fold the passenger seat down. Meaning you need roof bars, bags etc for a quick evening surf.

Rash vests, I still wear one, I find that after 3-4 days of being in/on the water for 5-6 hours a day sailing I end up really irritated, especially in salt water. YMMV and obviously surfing is generally shorter durations, but they do still serve a purpose. Especially the thermal ones in winter when combined with a well fitting and not leaky suit.

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As an old duffer in his 2nd half century who makes effort noises getting off the sofa I went surf sup rather than actual surfing. A little 8'11" 130lt hardboard Loco hybrid number (similar weight to you). It means I don't need to bother with all that standing up hassle and I get to play in the scraps the big boys are not interested in. Living somewhere where genuine conditions are ocasional at best it gets me 'surfing' on more days a year and more waves per session.

It strikes me that apart from being a thing in it's own right, it's probably quite a good way to learn to actually surf (the balance bike to a real bike if you will) so that when you learn to stand up on waves with enough energy in them to make that possible you've got a vague idea what to do from your surf supping.

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I always wore a rash vest under my wetsuit otherwise I got a bad rash from the neck seal on the wetsuit. It was make dependent but I only discovered it after wearing the wetsuit for a few hours.

If I was starting now, I would go for one of the new breed of foamies in about 8-8.5 foot length from Mick Fanning, softech or catch surf. They have really come on in the last couple of years. Although I have a 9ft Stewart hydro hull, I bought a Mick Fanning 7.6 sugar glider last year to use when the breaks get crowded and also for my son to learn on and I am really impressed with it, wish foamies were like this 30 years ago when I started. Also, I would get 3/4mm wetsuit, it will extend your surfing season a couple of extra months.

@reign_man has good advice. Some Modern foamies surf great. Learning to surf is hard, especially if you don’t live by a decent break so make each step as easy as possible.

Also modern wetsuits wont give you a rash from surfing. Between me and my friends we have literally thousands of hours of rash vest free surfing in all brands of wetsuits with no problems over the last 15 years.

Modern neoprene is so soft and stretchy and seams are mostly taped or glued now so the days of flat lock stitched seams rubbing are long gone.

I’m a beginner surfer; I just went to Jamie O’Brien’s YouTube channel and I have no idea what any of it is or what I was even watching.

Christ I wasn't recommending the channel. But he does surf foamies much of the time inc at Pipeline masters, to which I've not yet had an invitation for some reason. Here's pipeline. Fast forward to the waves...

Interesting. That board kind of looks like mine - see how hard he has to lean to get it to turn. He's literally hanging on one side and leaning right over.

That’s because it’s one of the steepest and fastest waves on the planet.

Ah but, a vest underneath feels more comfortable than the neoprene.I have used a Lifa vest for 40 years plus.
Bear in mind that a brilliant wetsuit fit and construction will leave you dry. Well my 1983 Gul did as did the Second Skin.
More to the point, what ever feels right to you.

“Ah but, a vest underneath feels more comfortable than the neoprene” not in my experience but whatever works for you I guess.

Just saying that I live and surf in an area well known for the quality of its surf and i don’t know of a single local that still wears a rashie under a suit. Maybe our skin is so brined it’s resistant to it now! 😂