To me board length has more to do with what you want to board to feel like than your ability, In my experience if you are coordinated you should pick it up pretty fast. The longer the wheel base the more stable the board will tend to be and the closer to the tip and tail the trucks are the more of a carving type board it is likely to be. So to me length and board style are personal preference and you can get different flexs in just about any style of board.
As for the wheels I prefer something sort of in the middle in both size and durometer. Lets you grip and slide as well as roll smoothly. Usually I go around 70-76mm and around 83A-85A on the durometer Here are a few I like,
http://www.summitonline.com/skateboards/c1000001169/orangatang-wheels-in-heat-skateboard-wheels-2011-p195942.html,
http://www.snowboards.net/longboard-accessories/c1000006632/sector-9-race-wheels-p178318.html