I think Toby and other people who like being over-powered are probably more aware of the dangers (the view improves, closer to the edge) and are more inclined to think cautiously and pull the safety than those who are routinely under-powered and so have "forgotten" that you can be spanked ...

See it a lot here - the little guys look at me like I've grown another head when I launch a kite that's 5m2 more than theirs ... and yet it's them and their little kites that are looping and supermanning across the beach, or getting dragged face-first through the sand cos they weren't paying attention when launching.

I think there's a big difference in going out over-powered in consistent winds than going out in big gusts too ...

In the beginning we had no quick releases, so we had to be very cautious.
And always powered.

This is missing today with the false argument "100% depower".

Who knows I'm a IKO/PASA Instructor and I'm always on the beach seeing new people come into the sport without taking a lesson and getting themself/others hurt. Hey is an example

Four weeks ago I was out giving lessons and at the end of my last lesson I seen a new face on the beach walking up with a brand new crossbow 12m he came up to me and we chatted for a moment then I asked him if he ever kited before he said yes then I said you do know the wind is blowing 25 gusting 35mph and your going to be a little overpowered his response was "That's how I like it!" I offered to give him a launch he declined because his son was going to give him a launch and had went up to there truck said ok then walked back to my area and started packing up my gear. I looked back over at the guy and his 10yr old! yes 10yr old! was launching him and he was HOT LAUNCHING! I yelled at him to stop but by the time I did his kid threw kite up and the guy ended up launching downwind towards the highway being dragged through busted rocks, broken up concrete, and other nasty stuff left over from hurricanes ALSO! THE AREA WHERE MY DAUGHTER AND A FEW KIDS WERE PLAYING!!!!!!!! ! He didn't know how to release his safety and luckily by some miracle the kite self landed itself, me and two other guys rushed up to him and released his safety and secured the kite! He was all messed up face was bloody and packed up his gear and left. 45 mins later he was back and asked me for a lesson, I gave him one for free. The guy was truely lucky 40 more feet and I'm sure he would of been hit by a car and regulations on the Kiteboarding Community would be enforced here.

There is no reason not to be safe when kiting! It's not just you that you could hurt

Also in my home spot 99% don't unhook when the kite is grabbed, they simply (and slowly) begin to wind the lines on the bar. Conditions are rarely strong on our lake, so we never had problems but I think the problem is that once you're used to do something, your behaviour is always the same, no matter if it's blowing 12 or 40. As Toby says, safety first, you never know what can happen.
About this, let me say that, here in Italy, most of the kite schools definitively don't focus enough on safety. One day I spoke with a group of 3 newbies, "coming" from the same school, and none of them heard anything about self rescue...
The tipical kite introduction course here is 3 days. 1st day half theory on the beach, half in the water bodydragging. 2nd day bodydragging and first attempts with the board, 3rd day board. I've NEVER anybody teaching to QR or self rescue, nothing about trimming the kite, difference between 4 and 5 lines and so on. The problem is that the schools want people to stay on the board and enjoy a ride as soon as possible. Safety is not an issue for them.

That's why we need a better school system!

The first thing taught should be the movement of releasing, not where the wind comes from, how to connect lines etc!

It has to be the first and last thing in a course!

Don't be silly Kiteboarding is a safe sport, IKA/ISAF said so to the Olympic voters

I relish an honest 30-40 knots its truely exhilerating kiting.

Racers usually are out in sub 15 knots, which is more or less very safe.

25+ is strong and needs more attention reg safety in all aspects.

And kitesurfing can be very safe, if you are aware of the dangers and act accordingly.

Please Toby describe what method you use for "self launch" in 20-25 knots the 18 Dyno

Also your method of "self landing" in same winds with large kite

My motto is:
Can't do "it all by yourself in all winds" with Supa safety in mind for yourself and others ...
....then you haven't earned the "privilege" to kite

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I have a Dyno 18 and can always learn. Would be interested in Toby's launch and land technique.