You can operate it manually but....
On the left of the boot, attached to the hydrallic pump, there is a key . You have to turn it all the way and then you can operate it manually.
Even then, I wouldn't recommend it. If you've got a leak on one side then it will still leak out even when doing it manually and that key is only really meanyt to be used as an emergency proceedure if you can't shut the thing.
I ended up removing the pistons and pump on mine until I got a new setup. The hood works great on manual then.

!m!