re: Any boat propeller experts on here? [update #3 Pg4]

As a habit I pretty much always take off trimmed all the way down and start trimming up as soon as the bow breaks over. Different boats like different things but that generally gets you out the hole the fastest.

Sounds like you definitely have cavitation from the engine being too high, possibly set too high on the transom but most likely from not being operated the way it wants to be operated. I doubt a brand spanking new rig has a spunt hub but it could happen

Trim it all the way down and hammer it. I'm not sure how to eyeball it with a pontoon but the rule of thumb for a regular monohull boat is set with the cavitation plate even with or a hair below the bottom of the hull and tweak from there.