I am 220lbs. I learned on a CWB Ride I bought 7 years ago and rode it until halfway through this year. Finally decided to upgrade, and I went to a TripleX Comp ProX which I absolultely LOVE and the price was great. The Ride is significantly more stable and is definitely a much better all-around board for anybody to ride. I teach all sorts of different sized and ability peope on the Ride. However, even some of the people that are better "intermediates" that try my TripleX have trouble controlling it as it is significantly lighter and much faster edge to edge (i.e. "squirrely"). I am still able to do quite a bit on the ride and can spin decently on it even (I removed the front fin and center rear fin after I progressed beyond "beginner" my first season). It is heavy and big compared to my TripleX, but that's better for beginner/intermediates. Compared to the LF Fish, I prefer the Ride becuase it's a skim style instead of surf style, but that's really a personal preference.

If you want to see a 220lb guy on a Comp ProX, I posted a video in the "let's see your surf wave" thread a month ago or so.

I would strongly suggest the CWB Ride for you at your level, and plan for an upgrade in 1-2 years as you progress. However the Ride will still be very handy for all the people you'll teach the sport! You could start out on a more advanced board, but it would be like learning to drive in a Ferrari instead of a Cavalier.