Firstly we will look at your board. Before a surf its a good idea to have a look over your board keeping an eye out for any cuts or dings that could turn into something worse. Pay close attention to the rails, tail and nose for any signs that they may be starting to de-laminate. If you notice anything wrong I would advise to not use it until you can get it fixed (with some Sponge-Rez or similar), that is unless its 6ft and offshore. After a surf give it a bit of a hose-down with FRESH water (as after a while the salt can begin to corrode your board). Also always try not to leave it in a hot boot or on the beach in direct sunlight.

Fins I never pay much attention to. If you notice a cut in them theyre screwed anyway so you can paddle out and hope for the best but youre definately looking at a new pair. Same goes for the fins as for the board, just give them a bit of a hose down after a surf to stop the salt corroding the rubber or making it brittle.

Paying a fair bit of attention to your wetsuit should be your highest priority. I learnt the hard way about how I should be cleaning my wetsuit, I had to throw out my Rip Curl springy a few months back because the zip had pretty much entirely corroded away. Dont leave it in the boot of your car, this is one of the worst things you can do. As soon as you get home give it a good hosing inside and out (again, only use fresh water), paying close attention to the zip. Once you have hosed it out do up the zip and all velcro (this will stop the neoprene pilling) and hang it out to dry, preferably in the shade. Best way ive found is to get youre standard metal coathanger and bend the bottom out so it is more like a diamond shape rather than a triangle and hang your wetsuit on this. Gives it a smoother surface to hang on and wont dig into and weaken your suit.

If you spend a little time going through the above tips after each surf you'll find your gear will last a lot longer and save you a fair bit of coin.