Bilge question

[MN daysailer II]

I am new to the day sailer and love it. It is easy to rig and easy & fun to sail. I am unfamiliar with the bilge. My boat has on the outside a hole where we use a re-usable wine cork. The inside of the boat has: a regular plug on the back side; a screw down plug on the bottom; some vents on the floor towards the mast. I keep the screw plug on the floor closed and open only when the boat is on the lift. Are the vents on the floor there just to check the water level? Should I worry about water sitting in the inside of the boat and making the hull soft?

Rudder – the water side my rudder has 3 holes down it, there is only one pin at the top. Does it need all three screws?

Thanks for any input.

[JohnARice]

The vents on the floor are inspection ports. They are for access to the centerboard pivot pin. If you need to remove the CB or work on the cable. I will remove the covers after sailing to let the bilge air out (I keep my boat on a trailer in the garage).

Where in Minnesota are you?