If this is a dupe, sorry. In March, 1994, we bought the boat. Later that year or perhaps the following year we bouight a Lifesling with battery-operated strobe light. Brand new. That battery has a long shelf life and we never thought to check it. Yesterday doing some mainteance on the Lifesling and its container I pulled the battery out for a look. It had dates on it. Manufactured in February 1989 and to be replaced in February 1994. The battery was already stale-dated at the time we bought it as brand new. Moral: If you are buying anything with a battery in it, check the battery before you leave the store.