Sorry about that ....
Simplest fix - You might be able to get a "clamshell" style tube clamp set for your telescope - you can rotate and move the tube in these .
Or maybe make one from plastic straps (cable ties under tension) and then attach the pivots (liquid nails or Arildite , don't and pointy screws sticking through the clamp plates , defeating the purpose and scratching the tube) to some aluminium plate (which you can get bent to the right radius easy enough), line the tube side of the aluminium plate with contact felt to avoid scratching the tube. Would be cheap as chips to do and might get you out of trouble for a now.
Tripod , need it to be solid - cheapo scopes never ever have good tripods .
Here's a nice one
http://www.astrobuysell.com/au/propview.php?view=1041- contact them , they are in WA . A good tripod is an lifelong investment.
If your tube is balanced properly when you point it it should be effortless and it should stay put until you touch it again to move to the next object.
Yes the bigger aperture scope would have been better. More aperture is always better.