Center Console Boats And More

Does having a trolling motor down while driving your boat hurt anything?

I have a 17' ski&fish boat, has a motorguide trolling motor in front and a humminbird fish finder, and Ive seen a few boaters over this summer on their fishing boats that had their trolling motor down while they were driving their boat, does that hurt anything I wonder? or is it better to just put the trolling motor in the water when your boat is stopped and turned off?