It never hurts to try. But my main concern is if you hit a submerged object ( stump, rock, bottom, etc... ) at a decent speed it could rip the motor off or crack the composite shaft. A good bow mount with a breakaway mount or a shock absorbing spring will prevent this from happening. I Suggest a 42 inch shaft at minimum & nothing over 45 inches. On my boat I run an old second hand MotorGuide Brute Competition with a hand me down Gator II Mount ( the double spring mount ) it has saved my trolling motor countless times when I've hit stumps at speed. If looking for a new motor MinnKota's Edge series are good & MotorGuide's X3 series are good choices. If looking for a used motor, MinnKota's Maxxum Series are good choices along with the older All Terrain Series. If picking an older MotorGuide try to find one with a stainless steel shaft; if it comes with one of the flimsy mounts replace it with a used Gator Mount ( I did this to mine, had to cut the old mount off with a sawzaw ). The original Gator mounts are pretty common, most dealers, service centers, & boat repair places usually have a couple laying around for cheap.
Hopes this helps & the best of luck to you from ccm.