"*JimH*" wrote
Whatever you do.............do not carry them on board as spares. I have
read stories (including here at rec.boats) about folks being ticketed by
the USCG for carrying expired flares, even though they were only backups
to their current ones.

Interesting. I have some expired handheld flares in my boat right now. By my
understanding of the law, I don't go anyplace where I'd be required to have
any flares on board at all. Could they still cite me for carrying expired
flares, I wonder?