I use Tamiya masking tape to establish a baseline before mounting things like nameplates. You can get it in 1mm or 2mm widths. Makes life easier! (and doesn’t leave a mark)

Colin

Another thing to consider is having a bespoke decal made.  I use an outfit that prints a decal sheet of my own design to create names, draught marks etc.  The challenge is that you have to make the sheet yourself and the resolution of a .jpg usually isn’t good enough.  I therefore use Microsoft Word to create the document and then convert it to a .pdf.  Word is surprisingly flexible and you can even import additional fonts if you get really clever.

The big advantage of course is that you can make a name in a single piece so alignment isn’t a concern.  I’m sure you’ve all seen the draught marks but I’ve also done a few ship’s names for other members of my club.

Another advantage is that you can repeat the design so you have a spare in case of mishaps and you can design the sheet to be as small as possible so saving costs.