Dave - I won't comment about your legs but it is definitely time to break down and replace those deck shoes!
This is pretty basic stuff (and not necessarily the most pleasant topic) but I have a few thoughts to share based on 4 years of TM ownership and 30+ years of sailboat ownership and chartering. On sailboats holding tank capacity is even more of a problem than with the TM. When chartering a sailboat the service always does a "boat show" to acquaint you with the systems. They suggest putting a few squares of TP in the head before use to make solids flush more easily. They also suggest flushing twice, once to remove the waste and the second to dispose of TP. Both of these work equally well in the TM. Solid waste or TP does tend to hang up at the exit from the bowl and "pulsing" the button sometimes disposes of that blockage better than a protracted flush. It goes without saying that only RV or Marine TP should be used.
Lastly, you asked about experience with the Thetford, and except for the little problem set forth above, and one incident of splashing when the unit was almost full and we traveled about 30 miles down a rough gravel road, we have no complaints about the Thetford. We follow the forum advice about using both one Potty Toddy tablet and the Thetford chemical containing formaldehyde and have no odor problems. Thanks for posting the photos - I never quite realized how the unit worked until I viewed them. - camp2canoe
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