Removing\leveling original non-skid hatches?

[jeff6645]

I am redoing my floor and want to go back with Kiwigrip but hit a snag... on the casting deck and hatches I still have the original non-skid pattern. I thought I would just sand it,but that seem to be a bigger job than I have planned!

Thought about roughing up surface and mixing up some epoxy & silica and use as a leveling compound will that work?

Any tips on smoothing it out?