Setting up your lowrance tripleshot transducer mounting shouldn't feel like rocket science, but if you've ever looked at that long skimmer and wondered where the heck it's supposed to go without getting snapped off by a stump, you're not alone. It's a bit of a beast compared to older, smaller transducers. Because the TripleShot packs in SideScan, DownScan, and traditional CHIRP sonar all in one housing, it's significantly longer than what most of us are used to. That extra length means you've got to be a bit more precise with where and how you bolt it to your transom.
I've seen plenty of guys rush this part of the install, only to end up with a "rooster tail" of water spraying into their engine or, worse, losing their sonar signal as soon as the boat gets on plane. Let's talk about how to get this right the first time so you can spend your time actually finding fish instead of messing with a screwdriver at the boat ramp.
Finding the sweet spot on your transom
The biggest challenge with the TripleShot is finding a clear patch of water. Since this thing is long, it's more sensitive to turbulence. You want to look at the back of your boat and find a spot on the starboard (right) side. Why the right side? Because on most outboard engines, the propeller blades move downward on the starboard side, which pushes air and bubbles away from the transducer. If you mount it on the left, you're often dealing with all that churned-up "dirty" water coming off the prop, which will make your screen look like a snowy TV from the 90s.
Keep it at least a foot away from the propeller's path if you can. You also need to look underneath the hull. If there are any strakes, ribs, or thru-hull fittings directly in front of where you want to mount, move it. Anything that breaks the smooth flow of water before it hits the transducer is going to cause "noise" on your fishfinder. You want the cleanest, smoothest water possible hitting that face.
Dealing with the TripleShot spray
If you've spent any time on fishing forums, you've probably heard about the "TripleShot spray." Because the transducer is so long and has a bit of a gap in the mounting bracket, it has a tendency to shoot a jet of water straight up at high speeds. It's annoying, it gets your motor wet, and if the wind is blowing right, it gets you wet too.
One way to fix this during the lowrance tripleshot transducer mounting process is to make sure it's not buried too deep in the water. You want the centerline of the transducer to be roughly level with the bottom of the hull. If it's too low, it acts like a giant scoop. Some guys also use a little bit of rubber or a specialized "spray shield" that sits over the bracket. Lowrance actually started including a small plastic plug or plate in some kits specifically to fill that gap in the bracket and stop the geyser. If yours didn't come with one, a little DIY ingenuity with a piece of heavy-duty rubber can save you a lot of splashing.
To drill or not to drill?
This is the big question. Do you really want to poke holes in your boat below the waterline? If you're working with a brand-new fiberglass rig, the thought probably makes you a little sick. This is where a transom mounting board comes in handy. These are basically high-density polyethylene blocks that you bond to your boat with a strong adhesive (like 3M 5200).
Once the board is stuck to the boat, you screw your transducer bracket into the board, not the hull. This is a lifesaver because if you realize you mounted the TripleShot an inch too high, you can just unscrew it and move it without leaving permanent holes in your transom. If you decide to go straight into the hull, though, just make sure you use a generous amount of marine-grade sealant. Don't use hardware store silicone; it won't hold up. Use something like 3M 4200 or a specific marine sealant that stays flexible but keeps the water out.
Getting the level just right
Once you've got your bracket location picked out, you need to think about the angle. A lot of people make the mistake of leveling the transducer while the boat is on the trailer. The problem is, your boat doesn't sit the same way on the trailer as it does in the water. Most boats sit slightly "nose up" when they're floating.
The "level" you're looking for is actually the waterline level. A great trick is to take the boat out to a calm spot, sit at the speed you usually use for scanning (usually 3-5 mph), and have a buddy look at where the waterline hits the side of the boat. Or, even better, use a level on the gunwale and see where "flat" is while you're on the water. When you get back home, tilt your trailer jack until the boat sits at that same "on-water" angle. Then level your transducer. You want it parallel to the water's surface so your DownScan and SideScan beams are pointing straight where they should be, not off at a weird angle.
The "kick-up" factor
The TripleShot bracket has a built-in "kick-up" feature. This is designed so that if you hit a rock or a floating log, the transducer pivots up instead of snapping off. It's a great feature, but you have to get the tension right. There's a bolt that goes through the bracket—if you over-tighten it, the kick-up won't work and you'll break the plastic. If it's too loose, the transducer will flop up every time you hit a little wave.
Give it a firm hand-tightening. You should be able to force it up with your hand with a good bit of pressure, but it shouldn't move just by wiggling it. Also, make sure the teeth on the bracket are lined up properly before you crank it down. If you strip those plastic teeth, getting it to stay level becomes a nightmare.
Running the cables cleanly
The cable for the TripleShot is pretty thick because it's carrying a lot of data. When you're routing it back to the head unit, try to avoid running it right alongside other power wires if you can. While the cables are shielded, high-amperage wires (like the ones for your trolling motor) can sometimes cause electromagnetic interference.
When you get to the transom, don't just leave the wire hanging. Use cable clamps to secure it to the transom every few inches. And here's a pro tip: leave a little bit of a "drip loop" before the wire goes into the hull or up over the top. This is just a small downward curve in the wire so that rainwater or spray runs to the bottom of the loop and drops off, rather than following the wire straight into your boat's interior or through a hole.
Testing it on the water
The final step of lowrance tripleshot transducer mounting is the sea trial. Don't go out and immediately glue everything in place or zip-tie every inch of wire. Take a screwdriver and a wrench with you to the lake.
Drop the boat in and see how the image looks at trolling speeds. If the SideScan looks clear on one side but dark on the other, your transducer might be tilted. If you lose your depth reading as soon as you hit 10 mph, it's probably mounted too high or it's hitting turbulent water. Sometimes a tiny adjustment—even just an eighth of an inch—can make a world of difference in how well the TripleShot performs at speed.
It's a bit of a trial-and-error process, but taking the time to fine-tune it makes the difference between seeing "blobs" and actually seeing individual fish holding to a piece of submerged timber. Once you've got it dialed in, lock those bolts down, double-check your sealant, and you're good to go.