Hey
@dcwestcott, I live in your area, and have a friend at your club (BG, a former commodore). Been there many times. Get Peggie’s book. It’s not too thick, and it’s an easy read/reference.
All the above advice is good, especially the diaphragm pump. (I’ve replaced holding tank and hoses on 2 boats, and that’s what I did). Macerator pumps are a horrible design, and running them dry destroys them quickly, but it’s hard to know when to shut them off so don’t buy that garbage.
Whether you plan to keep the boat long term or sell it, a non-functioning pump is a liability whether you need to use it or not. It will come up in a survey, and you’ll pay for it when you sell, so pay for it now and have the use of it, if needed.
Maybe you plan to limit your sailing to the Hudson, LIS and Rhode Island coastal, but you’re not that far from the ocean.