Are there any arf or kits that have a true forward swept wing such as an x-29 or is the lack of stability stability to much of a problem without an onboard computer. My understanding is that the advantage to a forward swept aircraft is more manuverable because the vortex from the wings doesn't leave the wings tips but travels down the fusalage to the tail to create better control response.

The forward swept wing is less stable laterally than a straight or rearward swept wing but if the sweep is moderate it can certainly be flown without a computer. However, there is no particular advantage to forward sweep. It is not more efficient, and the vortices are still shed at the tips. It looks different and that is an advantage to some, but don’t expect any significant performance gain.

I believe that the very few full size aircraft with forward swept wings were done for the same reason. The designers couldn't figure a way to run the wing's mainspar through the fuselage farther forward, but needed the wing's center of lift farther forward.

Yup, I think there's a balsa model called a Drastic, not sure that's the correct name though. I've seen a few guys build a SPAD version called a spadrastic, search for it on spadworld.net

couldn't be any worse than some of the canards I have seen by modelers -
or for that matter -by full scale designers . apparantly few of them have ever thoroughly analyzed an arrow.

Why not make the SPADrastic? It's very ease and very cheap top build. You can then test out several wing sweep angles to find out which will be best for your taste. I've built several and they fly just like any other plane. Even made one with canards and is very short coupled. That flew well too. Just make sure that the wingtips don't start turning up, giving you wash-in. That will tip stall your plane in a hurry. Other than that, there's really nothing to it but to try. Go for it! You'll like the results better than you think.

B