RE: prop cupping
yes, it is pretty much like the real boats.
you can play with more pitch, less pitch, more diameter, less diameter all this to try to gain the best performance.
just like the real boats the HP available will also help in the selection of a prop, including prop material.
you can also add cup or remove some cup.
you can also play with the props tongue and ears, removing the ears will unload the prop therefore making it possible to spin a prop to which in its original form the engine would not have been able to spin, for example an Octura X440, removing the ears will now be an M440 and so on.
so like you said in your first post, its the same thing but on a smaller scale.
Dan.