I use Side Imaging at the bow with a trolling motor mounted SI transducer a lot more than I do at the console/transom. I use it for fishing.
Some waters I fish are electric only and I only take my bow unit so I am using SI all day that way.
The key thing with using imaging in that manner is when the data is created. ONLY the very first row of screen pixels is real time, all the rest is HISTORY. If you want a full screen of undisturbed data, just hold the trolling motor straight for a full screen update. Adjusted properly for the application, you don't even notice any distortion if using Humminbird Side Imaging.
I turned the trolling motor 4 times when searching this spawning site and caught the two bass recorded:
Some more SI screen shots at the bow with a Humminbird 1198c SI Combo and an ONIX 10 SI:
Turned the trolling motor a couple of times in this screen shot: