On Sunday, May 25, 2014 2:40:01 PM UTC-6, Don Johnstone wrote:
"we do not practice very low winch launch failures, just after liftoff"

That's one of several reasons why the UK has such a terrible safety record on winch launch. I watched a UK 'trained' instructor destroy a glider and put himself in the hospital from a real low failure because he didn't know what to do next. Lacking training, he simply continued the rotation into the climb until the glider stalled.

I insist on simulated low failures just after lift-off. Given a pilot with minimum airmanship skills, there is no danger whatsoever. It's exactly like flying a bungee launch.

"In any event I would never simulate a launch failure at 200 ft if there was
not room to land ahead."

Nor would I - on a winch launch. On aero tow, where rules are different, a 200' failure will be beyond the departure end of the runway where there is often no choice but to turn back. Pilots trained to do so have a better chance of survival.