The waterways found in and around the Latvian capital Rīga and connecting two lakes, Baltezers and Ķīšezers, as well as the rivers Daugava and Lielupe are regarded by professionals as a great network with unused transport potential. A significant expansion in sailing boat usage is witnessed by the continually increasing numbers of registered vessels and the bustling activity at Daugava's moorages and harbours. Also at Eksportosta Marina, located in north Andrejsala, there are new developments: in July 2008, the Latvian Skippi Yachting Association opened here a new yacht club by moving it into a nearby compact two-storey building at 12, Andrejostas Street. The club offers instruction in navigating yachts and motorboats, as well as a theoretical course in sailing, for those interested in obtaining corresponding legal navigation permits. In Andrejsala, there also take place the courses and exercise intended for the students of the Jaunsargi junior sailor training programme.

In the summertime, the Skippi Association offers hands-on training in the navigation of powerboats and sailing boats. In October, it is planned to open the course in theory. Mr Jānis Grīslis, member of the board of the Skippi Yachting Association, explains that the current system of training has four levels. The first certificate allows sailing within the inland waterways with yachts up to 10 metres (32.8 feet) long. The second level includes a theoretical course in yacht sailing and navigation in coastal waters, with the maximum length of vessels reaching 15 metres (49.2 feet). The third and fourth certificates are issued after the completion of corresponding mileages.  

Grīslis also points out that, for successful sailing, practice-based skills are in fact a lot more important than theoretical knowledge or the formal certificates. In some countries the law doesn't even require obtaining a licence, making sailing legal for everyone who knows how to do it. The hands-on lessons' length is usually suited to the student's individual needs; on average, one working week with 4 hours of practice a day gives the aspiring sailor basic orientation in sailing; the rest depends on personal persistence and experience. "A good option is to join an existing crew and continue practicing one's sailing skills," Grīslis additionally recommends.

The master sailor also observes that a real awareness of yachting has just emerged in Latvia, which shows in the growing numbers of yacht clubs and boats. Since Latvians travel more and more, they have seen the harbour activity in foreign countries and made note of the joy and sense of value experienced by boat owners. It turns out that the exclusivity and costliness of sailing is but a myth, as sometimes it's enough to be accepted in a crew or team and then fully use that opportunity.

In July 2008, there also began training courses for the youths participating in the Jaunsargi organisation. Andrejsala is now the base of naval training for junior sailors, and the instruction is actually quite varied and packed with activity, starting from shooting and orienteering and finishing with some specifics of navigation. They attend in groups of 20 to 30 youths, who exercise onboard training yawls and Skippi racing yachts. The young start with a course in rowing, which is not that trivial since you have to learn to paddle in good coordination with your crewmates. The second stage is an introduction to sailing, teaching the students the understanding and awareness of the mechanics of winds and handling of tackle. On their "third grade" the Jaunsargi members learn to navigate a racing yacht and may proceed to obtaining the permit needed for navigating a sailing boat or motorboat in the country's inland waterways. In practice, the young Latvians have shown significant success. For example, this year's European Skippi sailing championship yielded them the 10th and 15th place among more than 30 competing teams. Also in the last year's European CISM military sailing regatta in Poland they made it to the 7th place among 23 crews. More recent reports from the year 2008 CISM championship say that two Latvian crews have done quite well there, one winning the 3rd prize and the other coming in 6th.

According to Grīslis, the long-term planning of sailing instruction in Latvia would require a sailing ship, in order to deliver appropriate training and exercise programmes: "No seagoing country can exist without a proper sailing ship. In the past, Latvia used to have a few important ones, such as Krūzenšterns and Sedovs. I'm convinced that, if the Latvian Maritime Academy and the Navy would coordinate their resources, it could be possible to purchase a new and technologically up-to-date sailing ship, which would eventually help bring up new generations of Latvian sailors and honourably return the country's name to the world of global navigation."