I've done some searching on here, reading threads about anchoring and drift launching, but haven't seen anything specifically like what I'm looking for. Would be curious to hear opinions on the best bet.
I'm a 2nd year kiter, proficient in self-launching with a carabiner tied to a solid object. However, this requires a clean area next to the water, without obstacles, and at least as wide as the kite lines, ideally with wind sideshore ... something that is quite rare around here. I want to explore methods to launch where there is only a narrow beach or possibly no beach at all (shallow water leading to a treed bank, for example). Assume the wind is sideshore, with shallow water out 10-15m.
I've seen some recommendations for drift launching. Don't much like the look of that, way too much can go wrong with slack lines.
What I'm thinking: install an anchor with a float and carabiner, 5-10m from shore, say chest deep water. Set up kite and lines on land, in pre-launch position. WIth lines slack, walk bar and lines into water, attach to carabiner. Then walk back to shore, grab the kite, and walk it directly downwind, place it LE down, with it pulling on the chicken loop. At this point, it should have some pull, but not enough to launch itself, with bar fully out and maximum trim/depower. Run back to the chicken loop and clip in, still attached to carabiner, and water relaunch -- direct kite to edge of window by pulling one line, kite rolls on its wingtip, and up it goes. Unhook carabiner and off you go. If you can't get it launched, then leave it on carabiner/anchor, walk back and secure the kite. To land, do just as you would for a self-landing on land -- bring kite down at edge of window in deep water, attach to carabiner/anchor, then pull up middle line to get kite under control, etc.
If this worked, it could open up some areas that are not kiteable because of poor launch.
Possible problems: weeds in the water fouling the lines; waves pushing kite onshore, with either damage to kite or rear line getting caught in rocks/obstacles and possibly launching kite by itself.
Would this work? What are the dangers or pitfalls? Suggestions for a better method?