$2800 for just labor is VERY high. I'd be asking for a break-out of how they came to that number, or just plain walking away!
I don't know that particular boat, but in general yes you would need the 'ducer to run in clean water with no air, so in front of the step makes sense. You'd still want it as far back as possible to make sure it stays in the water with bow-rise upon accel/cruise.
I'll assume the boat has to be hauled out; that it's either not on a trailer or the trailer is in the way of accessing the 'ducer location. In my area (NorCal) that runs about $10/ft. So that's $350
Let's say the guy doing the instal isn't the yard, so he needs to pay them a lay-day for the boat to sit (it will need to be out over night to let everything cure before lauch) so maybe an extra $35...that brings us to $385. Let's round that up and call it $400
He'll have to cut your fairing block to match the deadrise of the hull (assuming you're using a bigger/hi-po 'ducer that has a fairing block and not some simple little thing) so that will be an hour labor. Call it $100 for a total of $500
Cut a hole in the boat....give him an hour- $100; bringing us to $600
The wire pull for the cable on that boat can't be difficult - it's a small center console for gawd's sake! It's not like he's got to snake the cables to the flybridge on a 60 footer or anything. Let's say it takes him 2-3 hours tops. Call that another $300 for a total of $900
Throw in $50 for materials (3M5200 for mounting the 'ducer/fairing block, some s/s hardware, a few zip ties, etc) and I'm still well under $1000
What did I miss?
Seriously, I'd love to see a break-down of how they arrived at that number. Either I'm waaaay off on what it takes to put a 'ducer in a 35 ZF, or this guy is smoking some good stuff.
BTW, I'm assuming you're using a large thru-hull transducer like the Airmar B744V or similar. If you're using a smaller 'ducer that sits flush with the hull the installation is even simpler. And if you're using an shoot-through style, it's MUCH simpler since you don't have the haul/lay-day/hole in the boat/etc. But being a fish boat, I'm guessing you'd want something a little better than the average in-hull 'ducer.
Don
'01 22 Classic, 502/B1
And a bunch of other stuff
"If everything seems under control, you're just not going fast enough" - Mario Andretti