[aredox]

Oh, it is perfectly possible, if uncommon. It is true that it is mostly foreign adventurers rather than a local scene.

https://www.youtube.com/@totheblacksea405

The Brits sail far more complicated waterways:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8TgaFfSsLWI

Sailing is not that common of a hobby/sport in Eastern Europe in general. Lake Balaton is a hotspot (including in winter with iceboats - alas, a sport going down due to global warming), Poland has quite a few sailors (both inland and in open waters) and boat designers, but that's mostly it.

[danielbarla]

My guess is that it's either extremely hard or impossible to sail _up_ the river, and locals don't want the hassle of having to arrange for transport on the way back.

It's a slightly different thing with canoes, and there's definitely a local industry built up around it; the rental place drives you upriver some distance, and expects you to make your way downriver to their pier / office. This makes sense because they can take a fair few canoes and tourists in one trip, and most people can figure out how to paddle a canoe downstream.