Here's a method that I use quite a lot because one of the places I kite has trees growing almost down to the water line, the shore is full of rip rap, and there is no one to help me launch there. It is a takeoff on Wetstuff's weighted sand bag launch except I use the trailer hitch on my truck.
I fidded splices in a 7 foot length of quarter inch spectra and then attached a very large stainless carabiner to secure the chicken loop to the truck. The kite will sit on the edge on shore or in the water and since it is attached to a relatively immoveable object, I believe it is one of the safest ways to self launch.
Procedure is as follows:
1) Attach chicken loop to the carabiner.
2) Walk kit to edge and set it on downside tip.
3) Walk back to truck - no need to hurry, kite isn't going anywhere.
4) Carefully check kite, lines, bar.
5) Attach safety and check safety release
6) Hook in to chicken loop
7) Check everything once again
Hook in to chicken loop
9) Unhook from carabiner and SLOWLY bring kite up on edge of window