Hi Jeff : thanks for the response . I tried tying a long line in between the head of the main & the ring shackle to make up the distance created by the smaller main & it does not work . The halyard ring shackle will catch on the halyard ring fitting at the top of the mast BUT because the head of the sail is not attached to it, it will not rotate the ring shackle off the fitting to release the sail. If the head of the sail is not directly attached to the ring shackle when the bar over the boom is pushed to rotate the mast ,to make it possible to bring the ring up & over the fitting to release the main,it does not happen . I even tried to attach a 1"x6' aluminum flat bar inbetween to make up the difference & it does not work .
So I am trying to find out if I can secure the halyard the way its done on most other sailboats !