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I had the same problem on my 2006.  I tightened, retightened, did it again.  Finally bought a new reservoir.  They really aren't very expensive.  Problem gone.

Spotless Stainless.  Brush on, wait, rinse off.  Doesn't get much easier.

I back into my slip, and so really value the ease of walking on and off my boat through the open transom.

Catalina used a water based stain/sealer (I have a 2006) which lightened the wood.  Contact Catalina Direct; they can fix you up with the matching factory product.

My factory setup includes an electric pump.  Ball valve between the ice box and the pump inlet, another ball valve between the shower drain and the same pump inlet.  There is a separate thru hull to serve this pump.  No connection to the sink whatsoever.

I installed one of the types that screws onto the inspection port on the top of my tank and has little floats that hang down into the tank.  I find that the floats occasionally get gunked up with stuff (easily cleaned) but still I recommend away from this type of sensor.  I later installed one of the 'stick on the outside' types for my water tanks, and have been 100% satisfied with this setup.  Tank monitors have been a great upgrade; I'm sure you will be very happy when you get it done!

Stu's last post so sums up the 'different strokes for different folks' theory.  We both have our boats on San Francisco Bay, but use our boats in very different ways.  Stu must regularly make it far enough out of the Bay to flush his tank at sea; I often have several people on board (full tank guaranteed!) and stay mostly in the Bay and so use a pump out.  As others have said, 'your boat, your choice'.  I think this makes a good argument for not glassing over your unused thru hull but rather securely stopping it off in order to keep options open.

My MkII had the head plumbed the same way (except with a vented loop).  When I eliminated my 'Y' valve and went straight to the holding tank it was done with the boat in the water.  A short nipple with a cap was simply screwed into the thru hull valve.  Someday if I, or a new owner,  want to make use of this thru hull it is there and available.

And at 5'7" our fin keels aren't exactly shoal draft, but that's still 5" more shallow than a 6' keel . . . almost a selling point!  If it doesn't sell on the west coast, taking a week sailing vacation to move it to Miami?

My boat has a strainer that is part of the pump assembly.  When it starts to plug flow slows way down.  Just another thought . . .

Jon, I really wouldn't cut into the head floor.  I had some work professionally done on my boat that involved needing access to that connection.  The wood sole is thin plywood (or actually some type of plastic) held in place by the screws you see.  Take out the screws and the wood will come right up (it isn't glued--just screwed into place).  Beneath is the fiberglass liner pan which is at least 1/2" thick, and beneath that is space (1"?) and below that the hull.  The yard cut a hole (maybe 8") into the liner right outside the door.  The hose does run toward the centerline of the boat and perhaps slightly forward (so cutting into the head floor probably wouldn't give you very good access anyway).  They did their work, and when it was time to restore things they epoxied a 'lip' onto the underside of the liner pan.  The cut out piece was dropped into place on the lip and secured with a couple of flathead screws.  Then the wood floor screwed back into place.  Very neat, clean, and tidy.  And access is there for the future.  I wish I would have taken some pictures of the opening when it was apart . . . but that would have involved too much forethought . . .

Hokie, you mentioned liking to go fast from time to time.  PHRF of about 144 on the 34 vs 175+ on a 30 . . . a lot of course depends on the condition of the sails.  I would seriously try to stretch for a decent 34.  If you spend a little more now you probably won't be looking for a somewhat bigger boat a few years from now.  If you buy a 30, then put more money into it over the next two or three years . . . I'm sure you see my point.  The 34 really is a great all around boat.  Brokers here in the Bay Area are always asking me if I want to sell mine.  Its is an easy boat for them to resell!

I have installed a 'bobstay' as described in an above post, and I have a code 0 on a furler.  I wouldn't think of using a code 0 type asym without some sort of support to counteract the upward pull (code 0 or genaker type asyms need a drum-tight luff and develop way more upward pull than other types of asyms).  I know lots of people fly asymetrics from their anchor roller.  My installation is so simple--it is a turnbuckle attached at the bottom to the lowermost bolt of the stem fitting and at the top to the bottom of the anchor roller.  For me, I would simply install one and never need to worry.

I had a leak at one of the legs of the steering binnacle and water ended up right where yours puddles.  But of course water does easily get underneath the locker lids, too.

Interesting article!
I have a 2006 model, the 34 was produced for either one more or two more years after that.
I wish the review had a little more about the Mark II.  Catalina put the bigger rudder on the Mark II models, as well as a good propane locker.  Thanks to the bigger rudder I would say that my boat tracks like a train, even on SF Bay.  In 8 or 9 years it has only rounded up on me once.  I was out in blustery spring conditions with too much sail out and was hammered by a powerful gust.  Rounding up and dumping some air was a good thing in this case.  Otherwise, one of the things I love about my boat is that when a strong puff comes along Charlotte heels a bit more, digs in, and surges forward.