.No, that is a bad location. Can cause turbulence and cavitation of your prop. Just look at any bass boat at a ramp or a dealer. They should be installed right of the engine between keel centerline and the first chine. You can find pictures on line. The Garmin manual is available on line. The transducer should have come with instructions. But again, not on the centerline.
The engine hitting “high rpm then catching up” is the transducer causing the prop to cavitate in turbulent water.
If you do not order a transducer shield, the factory installs the transducer on the transom under the jackplate. That is where they installed mine on my 2019 (although it was Bird). And that is where I installed my Bird transducer on my 2025 myself (as in picture). Imaging for SI and DI is excellent, but does require a separate shoot through transducer in the bilge area with Y cable for high speed 2d. It sounds like you would have to do the same with Garmin. Zero effect on engine performance at this location.
