Thanks for your thoughts Roger.  The mainsail furler seems to work fine.  The slider only binds up in the bottom 18 to 24 inches of the mast.  I usually don't leave the pop top attached to the slider because of this, and it makes it tough to drop the boom to the lower position (I've never tried furling with the boom in "1st reef" position... It might bind).
I think I'll try some gentle love with a pair of pliers and see if I can persuade the mast to return to shape, or close to.

Peter

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