The original message seems to be mostly concerned with a lacing problem. Before going all-out and considering a change to tracks, slides, cars, etc., different lacing ought to be tried.
The at-first-obvious spiral lacing up the luff is probably more prone to binding than any other system. The zig-zag lacing, with the lacing never crossing the aft side of the mast, works far better. Also, different lacing material makes a big difference too. My current preference is for that stiff, smooth, synthetic internal boltrope material; it slides nicely, and seems less prone to tangling.
Abandoning traditional solutions, it looks to me like the current crop of "battcars" and track seem up to the task of carrying a gaff aloft, so long as they are sized appropriately. A full-batten gaff sail on ball-bearing slides? Hmmm...
Aloft, i ( and many others, i suppose) have always felt that a stiff, lightweight, aerodynamic-cross-sectioned gaff with a boltrope groove to accept the head of the sail would be lovely; i'm sure certain dinghy/daysailer spar sections would fit that bill nicely.
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