No ? I think its a joke that some one would think of heading offshore 60 to 80 miles Tuna fishing in a boat for under 20 k.
I'd lean to this being true...BUT not everyone goes and spends top dollar to get quality equipment. I could go to a dealer, have a new engine installed in my boat and be out the door for like 15k for just the motor and install. Or I can source the new motor myself, using a more direct supplier, and install it myself for less than 9k. Same motor, less money. If I paid someone to do all the work I do on my boat it would be worth well over 25k, probably 30..., but I do it ALL myself, so it will be under. Same boat, less money. That's the angle I am looking from when I say 'under 20k' can be done.
A boat does not have to have that new boat smell to be running for tuna. That would be like me saying, you've got 600 hours on your outboard, better stop running offshore because some outboards blow up with low hours (but some don't).
Pick your weather, be smart and safe, keep your gear heavily maintained, and more becomes possible. And of course, a buddy boat is a pretty big must. But that doesn't mean have a ******, unreliable boat, and you can team up with someone who's got the be all and end all boat, and go Tuna fishing. We ran out in a smaller boat than most, which translated to twice the ground covered in the same amount of time. Maybe thats a benefit to a smaller boat, maybe not. But when we returned to the dock 2 hrs before the next boat, in daylight, while a few returned under darkness, I was happy to be in a 22', not a 30' boat.
The variables involved in successful and safe Tuna fishing are almost endless.