  The stellar disc kinematics in a sample of fifteen intermediate- to late-type
edge-on spiral galaxies are studied using a dynamical modeling technique. The
sample covers a substantial range in maximum rotation velocity and deprojected
face-on surface brightness and contains seven spirals with either a boxy- or
peanut-shaped bulge. Dynamical models of the stellar discs are constructed
using the disc structure from $I$-band surface photometry and rotation curves
observed in the gas. The differences in the line-of-sight stellar kinematics
between the models and absorption line spectroscopy are minimized using a
least-squares approach. The modeling constrains the disc surface density and
stellar radial velocity dispersion at a fiducial radius through the free
parameter $\sqrt{M/L}$ $(\sigma_{\rm z}/\sigma_{\rm R})^{-1}$, where
$\sigma_{\rm z}/\sigma_{\rm R}$ is the ratio of vertical and radial velocity
dispersion and $M/L$ the disc mass-to-light ratio. For thirteen spirals a
transparent model provides a good match to the mean line-of-sight stellar
velocity dispersion. Models that include a realistic radiative transfer
prescription confirm that the effect of dust on the observable stellar
kinematics is small at the observed slit positions. We discuss possible sources
of systematic error and conclude that most of these are likely to be small. The
exception is the neglect of the dark halo gravity, which has probably caused an
overestimate of the surface density in the case of low surface brightness
discs.
