Mine are pretty much permanently open. I forgot about them a few times when I first had the TI, filled the seat well with water - this was in March or so when the water was still quite cold - wondered why my butt was so cold even in a wetsuit. Realized I had forgotten about the drain and there was enough water in the well I was just touching it in the center of the seat!
Finally just cleated 'em and forget them.
Thought about removing them completely, but did actually have one time recently I wished I'd have closed them. I took the TI out in Kayak mode in perfectly calm conditions. Didn't need to drain anything, and having them cleated I got a splash of wet from below when I plopped down into the seat right as I got started!