Imagine a plane perpendicular to the propshaft axis, with a pitch the same as at the blade's mid-section, e.g. 'Rake' is the angle of the blade relative to this plane. A zero-rake surfacing prop, typical on the old inboard hydros, tends to climb toward the surface, lifting the transom. This is how hydros 'prop-ride'. A blade with positive rake tends experiences a downward force that makes the gearcase want to go deeper. This effectively increases the trim angle and thereby increases the water pressure at the transom dynamically. With increased positive trim the boat runs with less surface in the water and the bow rides higher. In common but wrong parlance, the positive rake generates 'bow lift'. But as Louis J. Baumann says, and I agree, there's no such thing as 'bow lift', there is only a downward force on the prop blade.