This is the top of Robin's roller furling, a long tube around which the foresail -- called the Genoa -- is wrapped like a window shade when you don't need it. As you can see, it is bent. The whole thing should be in line.
I can't say with certainty, but I believe the part was bent when the mast was taken down. The good news is that the rigger I've been consulting thinks there is a pretty easy fix. I have to take a photo of the bottom end of the system and then he will order a part.
A boat has so many parts that I can say with complete honesty that I never studied this one before I saw that it appeared to be misshapen. That's why I had to show it to an expert before I was sure I had a problem.
Now that I know the truth -- or at least this limited truth; not the one about how the universe was formed -- I can put the solution on my to-do list. The list gets longer every time I visit dear Robin.