Jay,
That's a great idea, I think that would work. Even reefing could be arranged. One downside is the release line messin' with the airflow over the mast/sail, although it might be hard to determine how significant that is. There's also the possible complication of not being able to see up 36' easily. And I'll post a pic of the mast tip, there's just not a lot of material up there, and its not clear how solid/strong it is. The mast construction is a bit of a mystery.
Plus, I've moved the Easylock to the main beam, and installed a horn cleat in it's place on the mast. I'll try this for a while, although your suggestion is more elegant. Thanks!

Dave