Thanks for the replies - all of which are sensible ideas.
The video is about the simplest solution I have seen and as long as everything feeds out OK and nothing tangles or snags, its a good option.
Where possible I get an assisted launch or in some locations I can use an anchor launch. I would only use a drift launch in light winds.
What I have tried is laying the uninflated kite on it's back and laying out the lines from the L/E side of the kite and attach them with the bar upside down.
Then walk the inverted bar to the side the flagging line is on to the angle to the kite I would be at when it was flagged out. Then back away from the kite until the opposite rear line still has some slack in it. Then wind all the slack of the flagging line onto the bar. Then wind almost all of the slack of the nearest rear line onto the bar. Then wind almost all of the slack of the opposite front line onto the bar.
Then wind all of the lines onto the bar until I get near to the kite and double half-hitch the lines.
I then have to avoid the bar ever going between the lines as I roll the kite up with the bar at the centre in front of the leading edge.
Same thing in reverse as I drift launch it.
Turn the kite into the parked position with the flagging line taut and let it drift away as I unwind all 4 lines.
That's when my problems usually start.
Having only done this a few times so far, its difficult to figure out which lines are which and which to unwrap first. I think 4 lines of different colours would help, but a lot of it would be down to repeating the process often enough to always do it exactly the same way.
The opposite front line is the one to unwind first, then the nearest rear line.
Then keep the tension on the flagging line while unwinding the slack in it. Then pull in a kite width of the nearest rear line and feed out the flagging line, making sure the opposite rear line goes under the kite as the kite turns to present the underside to the wind.
Theoretically it should work, but it always seems complicated when doing it. Making my own coloured lines and repeating it several times in very light winds, should make it work.
In theory, I should be able to do the same in reverse when finishing a session, starting with pulling in enough slack on the flagging line to fully depower the kite, but I would only do that in light winds.
I have found that having extensions on the lines can be a source of snagging, so use full length lines now.
The method in the video is nice and simple, and I have clipped the leash onto the kite in the past and walked with it flying upside down while I unwound the lines, then drifted it out and so far I have not had anything really bad go wrong when drift launching. The video's method is maybe going to be reliable enough.
I have had problems with drift launches but been able to sort them out - sometimes by having to abort the launch completely.
This video shows how to set the kite at an angle to the wind so the kite will drift without rotating (as long as the lines stay slack).
[youtube]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_sm9q6V3bIM[/youtube]