How to remove permanent marker from hypalon?

[Rich Stidger]

OK, I have purchased flexible number boards from http://www.boatnumberplate.com and I have the two-part hypalon glue to attach them. See pix below.

However my numbers have been previously painted on with a Sharpie permanent marker and the new number boards will not completely cover them. So I want to remove the parts of the numbers that I cannot cover. The picture below shows the numbers freshly done. They are now faded badly but still visible.

Google turned up many different solutions- Magic Eraser, denatured alcohol, acetone, toothpaste, MEK, and Goof Off were the popular solutions.

I know that acetone will damage the hypalon surface and I am reluctant to use MEK or Goof Off for the same reason. I have been disappointed with Magic Erase results on other "dirty" surfaces, so I don't know if it is worth trying.

Does anyone have a known method for removal that will not damage the hypalon surface? I may need to call Achilles to ask them but I thought I would start with SBO first.

 

[Allan12210]

Acetone should not damage neoprene rubber (Hypalon) but it might dull the surface. That and you may end up smearing the stuff all over while cleaning. What I did was just use gray automotive spray primer on mine. I just did light coats until it built sufficiently to hide what was underneath. It didn' flake off in the next few years that I owned the boat.

 

[xcyz]

Rich;
Try using aerosol hair spray. Works quick, just spray and wipe.

-R

 

[Stu Jackson]

My first thought was what Allan suggested.

 

[Joe2954]

I've not tried wd-40 on marker but it seems to work on a lot of other things.

 

[centerline]

get some paint from the inflatable boat store and paint over it and start fresh.... the paint bonds chemically to the surface and becomes one with the material so it will never flake off or look like paint.....

as with any paint, the surface must be properly prepped....

 

[Gunni]

Acetone is actually the preferred cleaner, and you will want to use it where you expect your hypalon glue to adhere. If acetone will not remove the marker color, try MEK. I would take the opportunity to completely clean the tubes with acetone, sand with 120 grit, glue your number plate, and then treat the entire boat with 303 protectant. I have a 20 y.o. hypalon kayak that gets the clean, acetone wipe, and 303 protectant treatment every year.

Any attempt to paint the boat with hypalon paint without an acetone wipe, sand and repeat acetone wipe will have that thing shedding paint like a molting blacksnake. Been there, done that.

 

[Rich Stidger]

Thanks to all with ideas and suggestions.

It appears that I was wrong about acetone damaging the hypalon. I emailed Achilles and just received a reply- Here is what they told me:

You may not be able to remove them completely.

I would first try soft scrub with bleach. If that doesn't work you can use Acetone or Toluene, follow label directions as these are more caustic.

Last resort if you want to cover them up would be to glue a Hypalon fabric patch over them if you can't simply glue the new registration plate over them.

So I think I will make up an arsenal of products to try, using the least aggressive first. If I were a betting man, I would pick acetone as the final fix.