> Pete, to get the proper fore/aft level, why not put the boat in the water?
> Temporarily hot glue your recessed disc in place, set boat in calm water
> (with you or an assistant seated in it), adjust compass with shims until
> level. Now that you have your level plane, remount your recessed disc.
> -Will

That would work. I'm not sure that degree of precision is needed, though, setting aside the inconvenience of getting the boat to a nearby bit of water. These compasses are boat compasses, after all, and so they are designed to operate properly at various, and constantly changing, angles. It also raises the issue of how far to take it: Not all the final equipment has been installed, so how to account for that weight, nor is the amount of carried stuff stored in the compartments, nor the difference between a big breakfast vs. a cup of Kava in the morning for that matter.

Maybe I was trying to articulate the idea that the mounting is not simply a recess in the deck with even edges all around: Most decks seem to be sloping down as one goes from cockpit to bow, and the installation can, and probably should, take this into account. How much to account for, in a reasonably straightforward manner, may be what I was shooting for.

If I lived lakeside, though, it'd be worth a shot.