Thinking about Lowrance 527 DF, Transducer mounting?

[30pound-tasty-fish]

I know that the transducer mounting is the most critical part of a new fish finder install. I have an 89 Starcraft V hull. The install says that the center line should be at the lower edge of the bottom of the hull.

Is it true that if it is a clockwise prop you should mount it on the starboard side? I read this once and my current transducer is mounted on the starboard side.

Any other installation tips that I should know about before mounting the transducer?

If it is a black art would someone be willing to come and help me? I have a fully stocked shop and a fully stocked beer fridge stocked with good beer.

[Starfish]

Transducer placement is important but I haven't found it to be rocket science. I have transducers working well on both sides of the outboard so I'd pass on the clockwise/counterclockwise prop part. I also prefer keeping it away from the kicker but again one of my units is mounted there and works fine. Mainly you want to ensure a minimum of hull disturbances such as strakes and rivets in front of the transducer to minimize turbulence. It helps to have a friend drive your boat on plane straight and fast while you look down at the water at the back of the transom. Look for any areas that have particular "clean" looking flow and make note of any areas of spray or turbulence to stay away from. Also ensure you are low enough on the hull profile to ensure you are completely wetted at all hull speeds. My current Lowrance setup works even at 60 mph. My Humminbird sometimes loses signal around 50 but that may be because I don't bump up the ping speed.

[goldens]

My nephew has a Starcraft. We had to lower the transducer so it was well into the waterstream by an inch or two.

This is because the Starcraft hull has a continuous row of rivets along the very bottom of the hull right at the rearmost corner where the transom panel fits in. Thus there is no "clean water" right at the hull's waterline. If the transducer is mounted there, it picks up the air bubbles of the turbulent water and it thinks you're always runing over a huge school of fish. When you go dead slow, the scren will clear up.

Get the transducer down far enough away from the turbulence caused by the rivets. It may take some trial-and-error. Try to fashion a temporary mount that you can adjust from above while in the water to find the "sweet spot".