Patrick's Cavalier du Ciel "Shiva Ultralight"

Patrick's Cavalier du Ciel
"Shiva Ultralight"
Updated May 1, 2007
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Introduction
In my opinion, the Shiva Ultralight (UL) is the best stunt kite for flying those very light breezes. No other comes close to its performance in this category.

Dimensions, Specs & Cost
The Shiva UL is 7' 4" wide and is rated for 2-19 mph. I would say it was more like 3-12 mph. My own rating is based on how much wind it takes to keep it in the air without any extraneous effort and what wind it can endure. I purchased my Shiva UL from The Kite Shoppe for $216.00. This particular kite came in The Kite Shoppe's Team custom colors.

Flight Characteristics
The Shiva UL has very precise flight control. However, it is slightly sluggish in response compared to the standard version. This is due to the UL's standoffs being slightly shorter than on the standard version, which puts a little more slack in the sail. The UL'S slack sail enables it develop more lift from the lightest of breezes.

I did my own testing by changing the UL's standoff lengths to a longer set, which made the sail more taut. I found that the original shorter lengths standoffs work better in light winds.