Diver Profile
Each dive plan can override your global diver profile settings. The diver profile controls how the planner calculates decompression, gas consumption, ascent/descent behavior, and deco stop logistics. You can set sensible defaults on the Diver Profile page (accessible from the sidebar) and then fine-tune them per plan as needed.
Set your default profile once in the Diver Profile page in the sidebar. Then override individual settings per plan when a specific dive calls for different parameters.
Diver profile settings panel within the dive planner showing all configurable parameters -- planner-profile-light.png / planner-profile-dark.png
Gradient Factors
Gradient Factors (GF) control the conservatism of the Buhlmann ZHL-16C decompression algorithm. They are expressed as two values: GF Low and GF High.
| Parameter | What it controls | Typical range |
|---|---|---|
| GF Low | Depth of the first decompression stop. Lower values produce deeper first stops. | 20--50 |
| GF High | Duration of the last stop and overall no-decompression limit (NDL). Lower values are more conservative. | 70--90 |
Common combinations:
- 30/70 -- Conservative. Deeper first stops, longer overall deco. Suitable for cold water, strenuous dives, or divers who prefer extra margin.
- 40/85 -- Moderate. A balanced profile used by many technical divers.
- 45/95 -- Liberal. Shorter deco obligations. Used by experienced divers in ideal conditions.
PPO2 limits
Partial Pressure of Oxygen limits determine the maximum oxygen exposure the planner allows at depth.
| Parameter | Description | Typical value |
|---|---|---|
| Active PPO2 | Maximum PPO2 during the bottom (active) phase of the dive. Controls the MOD for bottom gases. | 1.2 -- 1.4 bar |
| Deco PPO2 | Maximum PPO2 during decompression stops. Controls gas switch depth for deco gases. | 1.6 bar |
Speeds
These settings control the rates of vertical movement during the dive.
| Parameter | Description |
|---|---|
| Descent speed | Rate of descent in meters (or feet) per minute. |
| Ascent speed | Rate of ascent in meters (or feet) per minute. |
| Speed between deco stops | Rate of ascent between consecutive decompression stops. Often slower than the main ascent speed. |
SAC rates
Surface Air Consumption rates determine how quickly the planner estimates you breathe through your gas supply.
| Parameter | Description |
|---|---|
| Active SAC rate | Consumption rate during the active (swimming/working) phase of the dive, in liters per minute at surface pressure. |
| Deco SAC rate | Consumption rate during decompression stops, typically lower since the diver is relaxed and stationary. |
SAC rates are used to calculate total gas consumption for each tank and to flag any plan where you would run out of gas.
Deco settings
Fine-grained control over how decompression stops are scheduled and executed.
| Parameter | Description |
|---|---|
| Last stop depth | Depth of the final deco stop before surfacing. Commonly 3 m (10 ft) or 6 m (20 ft). |
| Stop intervals | Depth interval between consecutive deco stops (typically 3 m / 10 ft). |
| Gas switch duration | Time in minutes allocated for each gas switch during ascent. |
| Gas switch strategy | When to switch to a deco gas: at MOD (switch as soon as the gas becomes breathable) or at first stop (switch at the next scheduled deco stop after reaching MOD). |
| Round stops to minutes | When enabled, deco stop times are rounded up to whole minutes. |
| Include descent in bottom time | When enabled, the descent phase counts toward the entered bottom time. When disabled, bottom time starts only once maximum depth is reached. |