I’ve got an older BushSport neoprene skirt, and on the underside of the rand, there is a 2-inch wide strip of thick dull black rubber stuff that appears to have been painted onto the neoprene material (presumably to make it stick to the coaming better).
Unfortunately in a couple spots it has become tacky, and stuff sticks to it, and it leaves black tarry smears on the cockpit coaming (and anything else it rubs against).
Any ideas of anything I could treat this with, or cover it with, to cut the tackiness? I’ve tried 303, to no avail.
When my toilet flapper begins to …
leave black residue, I know it is time for a new one 
Not sure if your rubber has just reached the end of its life though… May be paint some aquaseal on it, after a good degreasing cleaning?
hmm
If your “toilet flapper” is leaving black marks, maybe you should pay a little more attention to hygiene.
Thanks for the aquaseal idea though. Sounds like that could work.
Since you mentioned it, I realized that the stuff looks a lot like Seal Cement. I’ve got a tube of that, I’ll probably try that first.
Thanks.
I would suggest Seamgripp, rather
than Aquaseal. The same stuff, but it is thinner and will paint better. You might also try other approaches such as the glue used for bicycle patches. Try on a small area first, in case it just worsens the situation.
Contacting the skirt manufacturer might help.
Actually …
“If your “toilet flapper” is leaving black marks, maybe you should pay a little more attention to hygiene. ;)”
That’s when I noticed it -
Actually, that means the rubber has aged and somehow changes properties and begins to leave black marks on anything that touches it. Washing it does not help, unfortunately as more and more material deteriorates and continues to leave black stuff behind.
My thought was that if that is happening to your skirt, it may be an indication that it may not be as strong any more and may fail you when most needed. Unless that is just the painted layer that is causing the issue and the rest of the skirt is fine, I’d double-check the clean … erhh, the strength of the skirt.
Yes, just the painted on stuff
The rest of the skirt is supple and behaving like neoprene should. It’s just this thick painted on surface around the inside of the rand that has patches of tackiness.
I’m all spent out for now, having recently added a new boat and a drysuit to my kayaking toys. I’m sure this skirt will need to be replaced someday, but that someday would best come at a later date.
results
fwiw, I painted a coat of Seal Cement on the rubber rand, and then put a second coat on the parts that had been extra tacky. It seems to have done the trick. No more tackiness.
The surface is a bit grippier now, so we’ll see how it works on the boat. Hopefully it doesn’t wear off too easily.