>>Every single float plane I have seen, full scale or RC has had the float a good bit out in front of the prop. <<
Well you DID see my ugly old Morris Jerry's Little Boy, covered with scraps from my monokote box. Bill Kaluf called it "The ugliest thing he had ever seen", God rest his soul. When you saw it, the prop was out in fron of the tips of the floats.

I don't >Advocate< having the float nose aft of the prop, but if you think about it, it makes it impossible for the prop to throw spray into the prop, too.