Paddleboarding?

Probably a good idea to go have some conversations with some of the shops in your area. Fins are dependant on water conditions, as is the width of your board and if you want to be in for speed, or yoga, or just to cruise around a calm lake. I am in manitoba and will only be out on calm lakes so I just picked one up at altitude sports and it is a very basic, plastic, hollow beginner board. Super stable so i can do some yoga type moves(and get laughed off the lake by the teenagers) while still allowing me to cover a good distance in a short time. It is an amazing ab and lat workout! I was so sore after my first day, but now I go out multiple times a week in the summer and feel great!! Do some online reading, and make friends with a few suppliers and you should find what you need. I will be upgrading this year to a Higher end board and gifting my kids and husband the one I use now. A friend on he lake without a motor on their equipment will be fun!!

youngmomtaz already gave you some good recommendations.

In general, the type of board depends on activity - are you going to be just using it casually, for yoga, for touring (longer exploratory paddles on flatwater), surfing, fishing, or racing? Each type of activity has a different type of board and as ymt said, the local shops can help you determine the best board for you for your activity. My initial board was a hybrid - good for surfing and touring. It is super stable, but short (10') - and I have raced it, but it's slow.

Yes, your weight and gender will have something to do with the board length/displacement. Typically women have better balance, so they can do okay on more narrow boards than men. Weight will have a factor in the board displacement, as well as your expertise level. As a beginner you want a more stable board, but as you get more experienced, you can move to the narrower boards which often are faster, but less stable.

Before you buy a board, demo a few types. Most shops will allow you to try them out, and many will have designated demo days where they take out a selection of the rentals to let people to try them for free (at least in West FL they do). Many of the larger SUP races will have vendors that let you demo some boards after the races. Rent a few different types before you buy, if you are unsure of what you want. Most places though only rent hourly, though in some areas I've seen daily rentals.

Once you figure out the type of board you want, if money is an issue, consider purchasing a used board. Many shops will sell their rental fleet as new boards come out at a good discount. Also some people try the sport and don't like it or upgrade, so there are often used boards available online like on sites like Craig's List.

SUP is a great workout for your core if you use a good paddling technique. It can work your abs, back, legs, shoulders, arms. You will also work legs / feet while balancing on the board. In short, it's a great all over body workout.

Enjoy! ~~b3achy