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Used to see this from quick stops as the wake washes over the upper level of the swim platform. Now I just ease off plane and the plugs are virtually dry when we trailer the boat. I pull them to drain out the plugs themselves and every couple of weeks give them a shot of silicone spray to keep them supple.
I always have water full to the top of the clean out plugs when I take the boat out of the water after an afternoon of cruising... Is this normal or are my clean out plugs leaking and need to be rebuilt.
@ysidive as advised already, normal. I have a small Craftsman 18V shop vac that i use to vacuum any standing water out of the bilge and above the clean-out plug. It will stay dry until a hard rain or I remove it to clear weeds. Clean the "tube" it sits in once in a while - I use a scotch brite pad, and lubricate the gasket with a lubricant of your choice - I use Yamaha Marine Grease others use a pool gasket lubricant. Both work well - the key is to keep sand, zebra mussel pieces etc off the gasket and off the tube and to keep that gasket lubricated. If storing for a longer period remove the plug.
Yep, Spray them down with lube and let them hang out the back of the swim platform.
And definitely make sure you drain any water inside the plug
Yes remove them whenever not using the boat for more than a week or so, and leave them on the platform. I spray mine with silicone lube every other week, but will probably cut back to monthly as they're still quite slick doing it bi-weekly. When you close her up for the winter, shake any excess water out, spray them with silicone lube or some other lube, and leave them out till spring right on the clean-out tray till spring.
@Crob83 an INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT STATEMENT....a friend said he laid both plugs sideways on his transom and when he looked in the Spring they were both shattered. I remove my plugs daily to clean-out weeds and you would not believe how much water is in that plastic plug housing AND you have to shake those little buggers to get all of the water out. SUPER tip @Crob83 !!!!!