Since you are starting out, I recommend you stick to plastic.  The Strike has a very flat learning curve, and it is a lot of fun.  It can carve pretty well, and is less likely to capsize at the slightest breeze that happens to blow when you are about to take off on a wave as is the case with a HP waveski.  It is easy to paddle out through a breaking wave, unlike waveski's which are difficult to stay upright paddling through the smallest wave.  It will still be a lot of fun after several years of use, which will happen since the hull is pretty strong, and will withstand the occasional collision, as will happen when you are learning.  Waveski's don't handle dings well, and their price tag may make dings painful.  If I had started out on a waveski, I might have given up on surf kayaking since the learning curve is steep.  On the plus side, waveskis are very fast, very light, and extremely responsive, but count on looking like a rookie for a pretty long time before you get the hang of it.  Surf kayaking is different than surfing, but it is a very addicting sport, so count on spending more and more time, and buying more and more surf kayaks and waveski's in the future.