Make-A-Wish^® Tuna Challenge

Welcome to the Make-A-Wish Tuna Challenge. We hold an annual tuna tournament and fundraiser in San Diego with all of our proceeds going to the Make-A-Wish Foundation® of San Diego, Inc.

Since 1991, we have grown to become the largest tuna tournament in the continental United States.

The 2008 Tuna Challenge was an amazing success, raising a fantastic total of $310,000.  This donation to the Make-A-Wish Foundation® of San Diego will help fund over 40 wishes this year.

Congratulations are especially in order for our two very lucky Boat Raffle winners.  The winner of the fabulous Defiance 220 NT, is a gentleman who is from Rancho Palos Verdes, and has requested that we not publish his name.  The winner of the terrific Zodiac YL340 Yachtline, is Steve Burkholder, from San Diego.  Congratulations to both of you.  We know you will really enjoy using these incredible boats.

• 2008 Tuna Chalenge Results (PDF)
• 2007 Tuna Challenge results (PDF)
• Private Boat Weigh-ins / Sport Boat Weigh-ins (PDFs)
• 2007 Top Angler Award
• Facts about the fish caught (PDF)
• Photos from prior years

Our Mega Boat Raffle for 2008

The 2008 Make-A-Wish Tuna Challenge Committee invites everyone to stop by and visit us at various shows through out the year including the Fred Hall Shows and Day at the Docks, April 20th to see our fabulous 22 ft. Defiance Pilothouse fishing boat package valued at over $57,000.00 MSRP. This boat, model 220NT, is the featured Super Grand Raffle Prize for this year’s nineteenth annual tournament.   Graciously donated by Palmer Marine, the boat is being professionally rigged by California Offshore Marine LLC and includes a Yamaha 150 hp four-stroke outboard, a custom T2K trailer, and a custom belly loop tower with rod holders from Pacific Yacht Towers and a complete electronics package by West Marine. California Offshore Marine will install all the components and include a two-scoop bait tank for the lucky winner.

For the second consecutive year our raffle ticket includes an exciting additional separate prize package valued at over $9,000 -- A Zodiac Yachtline 11-ft 2-in RIB, Tohatsu 15 hp four-stroke engine, unihelm seat and console, steering and throttle control, and a B&M EC 600 trailer.  This terrific package was donated by Boater’s World Marine Centers.

We are very grateful to Bo Palmer of Palmer Marine, California Offshore Marine LLC, Yamaha Corp., T2K Trailers, Pacific Yacht Towers and West Marine for this remarkable donation of our Super Grand Raffle Prize.  Special thanks to Rob Sanford who donated a boat to last year’s Tuna Challenge and once again came on board with Make-A-Wish for 2008 through Palmer Marine  We would also like to express our gratitude to Joseph DeArmond, district boat sales manager for Boater’s World Marine Centers’ for their outstanding contribution to our special boat raffle.

Wishes Do Come True!

The Make-A-Wish Foundation grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength, and joy. It is the largest wish-granting charity in the world, with 77 chapters in the United States and its territories and 27 international affiliates on five continents. All all of the proceeds from the Tuna Challenge go to the Make-A-Wish Foundation of San Diego. Read more about some of the wishes that have been granted by donations such as ours.