[gavinlit]

You want a board with maximum stability and something that's easy to paddle (ie floats well). To that end you want well rounded rails (soft rails), moderate curve in the board from the tip to the tail (moderate rocker - this can be seen by placing the board flat on a surface with the fins off) and something nice and long and thick. Basically go to a shop and look at all the sleek dangerous looking boards. You want the opposite. Round, thick and fat with as few sharp edges as possible.
Tips - it will take up to three months to turn on the wave properly so don't give up.
- practice, practice, practice.
- avoid the violent looking waves to start with. Crumbly, fat and soft waves is what you want when you're learning.