We found a leak on our Narrowboat?? | Life on Lavender Lee - EP 22
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- Опубліковано 7 лют 2025
- Izzie and Ciara find a leak on their boat and decide to attempt some DIY! In our final week on the River Lea, they travel to Oxfordshire to the Wilts and Berks canal and explore the history of the waterways...
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👋 IN CASE YOU ARE NEW HERE - Hello! We're Izzie and Ciara! In the autumn of 2023 we moved out of our tiny rented London flat and bought our new home, a 62ft narrowboat called Lavender Lee. Join us as we explore our new life living afloat the UK canal network while we teach ourselves to renovate our home!
🕵️ SOLVING A MYSTERY - For reference, Izzie is the one with curly hair and Ciara has straight hair.
Lots of love,
Izzie and Ciara x
#boatlife #narrowboat #offgridliving #offgrid #slowliving #travelcouple #tinyhouse #narrowboatliving #london #boatlifestyle #renovation #travel #boat
We didn’t get a chance to film a proper sit down outro this week but as always thank you SO much to all you legends who bought us a coffee this week❤ that’s:
Dave
Someone
Jon
Peter
Someone
Julie
GBT from California USA
Alan
Debs
Paula & Ade
We appreciate you 😊😊
Hello! I wish I could type that in harmony. Stereo Hellos are definitely a mood lifter.
When Ciara was wearing her rain gear, I thought…now she really knows how to deal with a bio hazard! If it helps, those of us that are home owners will tell you that there are always new projects around the house calling for our attention as well. I won’t add my advice to what you have already received as I think some of what you have been given is pretty good advice already. You’ve shown that you are determined and will get the best of the problem in the end. I have faith in the two of you being able to tackle anything that life throws your way.
My epiphany this week? Well I am glad you asked! This week I was made to understand that the single most adorable creature on the face of the earth is Izzie’s mom with colored hair, hair bow, and dinosaur overalls (in the States, dungarees is an antiquated term your grandmother would use for blue jeans.) Now, I have to admit that I have never met Ciara’s side of the family, so my opinion is not yet fully informed. Still, you have to admit, she will be hard to top.
Thank you for bringing us along on your adventure and introducing us to your family. Izzie, your sister has a really interesting talent for duck calls. Ciara, keep being the warm and wonderful person that you are. 😂 Have a lovely week and love each other, Tim
lovely to see your mum, sister and the old canal 😊❤
Non-stop rain here in Victoria too over the last couple of days 😞 Roads flooded and impassable, root systems compromised with trees falling and smashing houses, landslips adjacent to roadways... and water coming in through my roof and dripping through the ceiling into the lounge! Aghghgh!
Hope you get the drain pipe unblocked. I'd leave the plastic hose where it is and unblock in situ. Once disturbed it will probably need replacing; they harden off with age and it's difficult then to get a good seal at the joins.
Loved the tour around the Wilts and Berks Canal, thank you - I didn't know it was there.
Have a lovely week 🙂
I enjoyed the video very much and so nice to see your mother and sister❤️ and learning about the history of the canal😍. I hope, the issue of the leak will be cleared soon 🍀🍀🍀❤️
To get the old hose off and replaced, you can heat the hose GENTLY with the heat gun to soften it and put it back on. Another trick is to use a water soluble lube - dish-soap will work as will something like KY Jelly and will make the hose much, much easier to get back into place.
Love the history tour ❤️
Great vlog 👍
Yes the water-point hose into every entrance and exit. You may need to block up the working hole while backflushing like the little Dutch boy with his finger - well you know where
LOVE Mum’s blue hair!!
We love it too!
Very enjoyable video. What a beautiful place you where walking around.
Thanks lee
It was lovely! Thanks for a comment Lee - Izzie x
Hello! Dont like those leaks, I would try and get that pipe off and give it a real good clean. Its so lovely to see your mum, you seem close to your family. x
Lovely video. Using water pressure to clear the blockage is probably the best idea. You can also look for a flexible glassware brush used in laboratories, but those tend to be expensive.
Blast the deck drainage holes out when you are at the water point. Then add it to your list of things to do at the water point and they will never block again 😊. Its good to write up a list of daily/weekly/monthly checks to do when living on any boat. Boat life is a full time job but worth the effort.
Good to know we had the right idea for trying that out the next time we were at a water point. We will try and make sure we do it every time- you are right we could definitely do with being a bit more organised with our boat chores! - Izzie x
Lots of great ideas, i use the spring described earlier on some plumbing jobs, others benefit from hot water and fairy liquid or a proper drain cleaner fluid but try others first rather than nasty chemicals into the canal, awesome happy vibes again, thanks for sharing
Awww how lovely to have time together with family you all looked happy glad you had a nice time tc now from the oldies🤗🤗🌺🌹🌷
We had a wonderful time, a really nice day. All very happy thank you very much, love to you both - Izzie x
Try straightening out a wire coat hanger and pushing in from the outlet where it discharges overboard, the two outlets on the deck seemed linked so i think the blockage is down from them towards the outlet, pour boiling water down it might tell you by feeling the pipe where the blockage is it cant be a lot, good luck
That's a good idea! Thanks for all the tips! - Izzie x
It was lovely to have you visit. That sack house is shaped like a piece of cheese from a trivial pursuit game ❤️
It was a pleasure to have you in the video as always!! Thanks for giving us a history lesson xx
Good night Carla and lzzle and sister and mum love the interesting adventure of the bandent canal i through you all did a great job with your information and guide of the canal on your you tube channel please keep safe and warm i hope you get the leak sorted out very soon
Thanks for watching David, lots of love to you! x
Always look forward to your videos. We walked past Lavender Lee a few weeks ago when we were in London when you were moored just above Limehouse basin. On the unblocking front, It might be worth investing in a sink unblocker from the middle isle of Lidl/Aldi which is a spring looking item that will be strong and flexible enough to push around the bends in the drains.
Aw amazing! Sorry that we missed you! If you see us out and about make sure to say hello, we love a good chat :) ooooh another excellent unblocking suggestion! Thank you- have a fantastic week! x
Hello, hello! That was a fun episode. More dungarees, please. 🙂You can buy mini sping pipe unblockers. It is a flexible coiled spning a few feet long. I guess however that the size of that hole may not allow even it to work. But maybe work backwards from where the water exits? Failing that, a length of coat hanger wire with the end bent around so it doesn't puncture the hose. I heard of someone placing a rubber mat over the entire hatch and part of the surround as a stopgap measure. Or maybe try to flush with some super hot water? Lovely to see that canal area and met your fam. Stay well, and hopefully you sort the blockage. Erin x 🏳🌈🏳⚧🐈
Hello Erin! Thanks for watching, yes we agree, dungarees are the best! and thanks for the suggestion, getting lots of fab ideas from you guys! Hopefully we'll get it unblocked in no time. Glad you enjoyed the video, we hope you're having the best week ☺x
@@IzzieandCiara Just had a thought, always dangerous for an autistic person 🙂. I use a long zip tie, not too thin, when I have to go down my kitchen sink to unblock it. Flexible and strong, and has the nobbly bit at the end to hold and twist. Dont make the mistake I made by using too short a zip tie and then losing it down plughole. They are cheap to buy in a large multipack and very useful around the place. E x
Hi ladies, lovely episode. We used boiling water to help clear our pipes, it might help? Here hoping you are by now all unblocked. Have a brilliant week! Howard xx
Hey Howard, boiling water seems like a wise suggestion, hoping to get it unblocked as soon as possible. Have a great week! - Izzie x
A very interesting video ❤ it would be great to have it back in use xx
Thank you Susan😊 it definitely would! Maybe one day 🤞🏻
Try a curtain wire for your blockage. It works for me!
Great idea thanks Andy! x
Loved your mums dungarees Izzie and I knew the sticky weed as sticky willy but it's proper name is cleavers. Wouldn't it be fantastic if the Wilts and Berks canal could be reopened and expand the waterways system. Look forward to next episodes in your adventures. Also the blocked pipe and drain it may be worth cutting old pipe and replacing it after running a thin drain brush thru the drain opening ❤
Hi Debra! We also love her dungarees, very very cool! Good to know she wasn't making things up about sticky willy lol. It would be incredible if they could eventually reopen, its such a shame that it was abandoned. Thanks for the tips! - Izzie x
Hello again ☺, The sticky willy is also known as goose grass or cleavers. Goose grass because they used to herd geese from town to town on market and fair days and they would eat it on route. It's got lots of herbal benefits too. You need a wild flower book for your adventures. You three are like pass in a pod and I love your Mums hippy vibes, being an aging hippy myself. Sending love, light and bright blessings 🦋🐞🌹🐝 xx
Hello again Veronica! We had no idea it was called that and just though Mum was being rude! We would love to learn more about foraging and edible plants, maybe a video idea for the future? Hope you are doing well! - Izzie x
@@IzzieandCiara Oh! My remark was supposed to say Peas in a Pod! And I meant that the geese ate the goose grass, not the people herding them 🤣. I'm doing my best, one foot in front of the other without my beloved. Thank you for asking ☺ xx
Loved the family banter 😂 Maybe a wet/dry vac could suck out the stuff that is blocking your pipe? x
We should probably invest in one as we have been borrowing a friend's up until now, but its where to store it! We have almost no storage left now. Hmm lots to think about - Izzie x
Izzie, where did your mum get her dungarees - I need them in my life! It's a shame that the canal was abandoned as it looks as though it would have been a lovely stretch to navigate. Thankfully some people had the foresight to save other parts along the network in general. Thank you to all of the volunteers past and present 🤎
I think they are from Lucy Locket Loves, but I think they are sadly closing down so you might be able to get a pair before they close for good. Me and Ciara love them and thought they were a lot cheaper than other similar brands. Big love to the volunteers!! Where would we be without them? - Izzie x
Another great video you make me giggle ..i use willow branches to do awkward jobs like that ..there strong and really bendy ..hope this is helpful with your leak ..so much rain though xx
Thanks Lynn! glad you had a giggle with us :) Thanks for the suggestion! Hopefully we'll clear that pesky pipe out properly soon xx
This is how you learn pipe clearance wire most diy store Xx
haha definitely- thanks Edward, will keep an eye out! Have a lovely week xx
❤
My dear Izzie and Ciara,
Ciara when you were wearing the rain gear and mentioned that you were going to empty the cassette I thought for sure that you had decided to dress appropriately for the event lol.
Izzie when you are in touch with your mother next, ask her if she is familiar with the Rant family who used to reside in Abingdon, Didcot and Wantage. Also ask her if she knows about the Rant and Tombs Green Grocers. I would be surprised if she knew the family but may have heard of the family name. They were well known in Abingdon, in fact one of their homes still stands at the corner of Conduit Rd and Bostock.
Regarding cleaning out the drain hole; see if there is a male boater, near by, who may be stronger than yourselves and ask him to remove the plastic pipe. That will allow you to get in with a screw driver or similar to clean out the metal parts. The other solution is more or less as you mentioned. Get to a water point and use the hose to force the water through. It might initially be a wet and messy job but might could work well.
Hugs to all three of you,
Mark
Alberta, Canada
Hello lovely Mark! I will ask my Mum if she has heard of the Rant family, we go to Abingdon a fair amount so there is always a possibility! We are definitely in need of a bit more strength on the boating front sometimes, but will try some other methods of unblocking and see how we go. Hugs to you in Canada - Izzie x
A bit of useless information, but if you pick the sticky weed balls when they’ve gone brown, then roast and grind them, they make a coffee substitute. Fab video as usual xx
Not useless- very interesting!! Maybe we’ll give it a go!! Thanks for watching as always Samantha❤️
Oh please get a compost toilet. Easy and no smell. I have one in my tinyhome. ❤❤
We’re desperate to get one!! Just need to keep saving up unfortunately :( ❤️❤️
So is there a charity we can give to for them to refurbish this? ❤
I believe it is run by the lovely volunteers at the wilts and berks Canal trust! You can donate via their website :) Thanks for watching Sam! ❤
Use a air compressor
Good suggestion! we'll add it to the list of things to try xx
@@IzzieandCiara if you do try an air compressor use a rubber tipped blow glum/nozzle, shield your face cause if 100 psi or so can’t over come the clog it may spray back at you when the pressure is released from pulling the nozzle away from the end of the port or hose or pipe. Good luck!
:)
I hate to say this but I think your engine needs a proper service... and eventually you'll have to beg, steal or borrow and take your baby out of the water for inspection. Prevention is alsays better than cure! Love you girls!
Hey Maria, Just last week we had a marine engineer out for a full service and check! We have identified 1 or 2 minor issues which are being resolved but nothing scary, or awful thank goodness. Our issues this week were all weather related, but engine is seeming all good for the time being 🥰 - Izzie x
@@IzzieandCiara Super glad to hear that. I'm not a boater so just ignore this old biddy! Just following 4 of you lot!!
Sticky... Willy??? In the same video as a Sack House. 🤢 😆
So so so unfortunately named :(