Has anyone out there experimented with super short lines around 2m-5m? This would make a kite much more like a wing foil and I imagine could work well with a hydrofoil? There would no doubt be performance compromises but it would allow you to launch from nearly anywhere.
I would think a normal bar/safety system could be used but there would potentially be issues around:
1. The point at which the 5th/safety line joins the front lines
2. You would need a low-V line setup and even that would probably distort the shape of kite
A couple of interesting videos (in Russian with subtitles) are here:
The 'Russian' control system
Foil kite on land
Thanks

Gets you the worst of both worlds. Yes ive tried.

We teach with 5m lines so I've tried this on the hydrofoil but could not water start since the power zone is so small and I was using a small low volume foil board. You need a very large foil board with volume (such as the one he uses in the video) to make this work and very strong winds since you won't be able to use the power zone much if at all.

Just a promo for short lines on a twin tip or surfboard..

Been riding super short lines (4m) here and there for eons

They are awesome fun

8m conditions - i use a 10m

You cannot expect to just ride short lines straight away - there is a learning experience you need to go through, it is hard work to start with and goes against the way you usually fly a kite, but you get better and will be able to use less energy.

It makes kiting far cheaper too - you dont need 2 kites and you only need 16m of lines, not 90m.

Also you dont need to carry/own so much kit. These days some kiter seems to have as much equipment as windsurfers have with all their bits and pieces.

It is IMO a higher wind thing but that doesn't mean i am right.. looking at the wing surfing skills developing that may not be the case.

This reminds me of all the craft beer makers doing "watermelon sour gose" or "nutmeg infused pillow biter ales". At the end of the day, it's hard to make beer taste better than beer...and there is a Also reason why every kite comes with 20+ metre lines.