Whether to spend $250 or $950...
depends upon several factors. A $950 manual toilet will last 50 years or more...a $250 will last about 10 at most. If you're planning to live on the boat and planning to keep it forever, the more expensive toilet is a better buy...but if you're a typical weekend warrior, I think there are better ways to spend $700. And one of them is an electric macerating toilet...no pumping, just push a button. If you're looking for all the comforts of home aboard, a 34' boat would justify having an electric macerating toilet. Another one, depending upon whether you're in waters where it's legal, is a Lectra/San (Type I treatment device)...what I THINK you meant by "a device that processes and pumps the waste." They aren't legal on inland non-navigable lakes, an increasing number of coastal harbors and marinas, or anywhere in RI, so it's just about impossible to get way without having a holding tank too, but they're far superior to a holding tank where they are legal. Sounds like you need to do a lot more research into what's available and how it all works before you're ready to start ripping out any plumbing.
