Stella Overboardvideo
Buying a Sailboat in Malaysia: Tax-Free, Cheap Repairs & Easy Sailing
11 January 2026 · 12 min · 141K views · Kedah, Malaysia
Camille stands on sailboat Stella in marina
What this video covers
Camille Milligan, Jesse, and captain Shelly live aboard a 39-foot sailboat named Stella, based in Langkawi, Malaysia, and are sailing north into Thailand as the transcript closes.▶ 0:22 Before departing, Camille breaks down why Langkawi made sense as a place to buy and refit a sailboat.▶ 0:49 Langkawi's tax-free status eliminates import tax, VAT, and luxury tax on boats, saving thousands compared to Australia or the U.S. Custom davits — welded to fit Stella's hull and designed to carry surfboards — cost roughly a quarter of equivalent quotes back home.▶ 2:47 A full Victron electrical refit (batteries, inverter, solar, and monitoring) and major rigging work by a South African professional rigger both came in well under Western prices.▶ 3:50 Chandleries on the island stock international brands including Harken alongside local suppliers, and parts can be ordered directly to the marina berth.▶ 6:44 A new tender from TruKit shipped to the marina in one week.▶ 7:29 Navionics charts the area's tides, reefs, channels, and anchorages clearly.▶ 9:23 The three-month visa limit effectively sets a departure deadline; from Langkawi, Thailand is two hours away, with Singapore and Indonesia also reachable.▶ 11:20 Sea Spray Yacht Sales operates in the same marina.▶ 12:08
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