Newbie - Looking for recommendations on gear

So, I am new to the sport, and I was hoping you guys would give me some advice on gear... I have nothing. I guess I'm looking for the ideal setup. I don't really care how much it costs.. I may be wrong, but I figure it's probably cheaper to do it right the first time, instead of buying the cheap crap and upgrading over and over... correct me if I am off base there.

I assume I'll need boards (wake and wake surf), bindings, ropes, and life vests... anything else you suggest?

I'm 6'1" and about 200lbs... I'm a solid snowboarder - I prefer a twin-tip, shorter, more flexible snowboard, but I am not sure how well snowboarding translates into wakeboarding.

I've read that Hyperlite and Ronix are good... one website recommended a Ronix 143 "Phoenix Project" based upon my stats...

I welcome any suggestions on any of the following:

- Boards (brand/model/length)
- Bindings (brand/model)
- Ropes (brand/lenths) - we're riding behind a Masterccraft X-25
- Life jackets

Thanks in advance...