More than a brand — it’s a legacy.
Founded in 2005 by speargun expert and lifelong waterman Chris Coates, Coatesman’s Spearfishing builds precision roller spearguns, custom spearfishing gear, and guided safaris for those who live for the ocean. Chris is recognized worldwide as one of the leading minds in modern spearfishing — a craftsman, innovator, and educator whose knowledge bridges traditional craftsmanship and modern ocean engineering.
George Coates Tofo Mozambique – All Africa Black Marlin Record 1969
Growing up on the beaches of Zululand, South Africa, he learned the rhythms of the sea from his grandfather, George Coates, a pioneer of ski-boat and marlin fishing who explored Mozambique’s wild coastline in the 1950s. That lineage of exploration, technical mastery, and ocean respect continues through Chris, a third-generation waterman devoted to the art and science of spearfishing.
What began as a small gear workshop supplying Rob Allen and carefully selected imported equipment, evolved into a performance-driven brand trusted by divers worldwide. Through years of research, testing, and refinement, Chris developed his own DEVILFISH range of high-efficiency roller guns, named after the legendary dogtooth tuna, the fish that inspired the brand.
Before the GoPro days, Chris pioneered underwater spearfishing videography, creating films like OneFish that captured the raw beauty of diving along the African coast. At the same time, he founded and edited Ultimate Spearfishing Magazine, which shaped modern spearfishing knowledge. During which he authored Unrolling the Roller, a breakthrough article on roller-gun performance that later evolved into a popular YouTube series still trusted by spearfishers worldwide.
In 2008, Chris launched the Coatesman’s Spearfishing YouTube Channel, now a leading global platform for speargun testing, roller-gun design, and bluewater adventure education. The channel remains one of the most respected sources of authentic spearfishing expertise.
Today, Coatesman’s Spearfishing and Coatesman’s Spearfishing Safaris represent decades of experience, innovation, and craftsmanship — combining engineering precision, visual storytelling, and hands-on expertise to inspire the next generation of modern watermen.
Join our community, explore our safaris, and experience what true balance beneath the surface feels like.
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ABOUT CHRIS
FOUNDER. WATERMAN. INNOVATOR.
Born in April 1973, Chris Coates grew up on a sugar cane farm in Zululand, South Africa, just a few hours from the warm Indian Ocean that would define his life. Schooled along the KwaZulu-Natal coast, he spent every spare moment fishing, surfing, and spearfishing, developing a deep connection with the ocean that would shape his career and brand.
From an early age, Chris learned the ocean from his grandfather, George Coates, whose experiences forged Chris into a third-generation waterman, continuing a legacy of exploration, innovation, and respect for the sea.
Chris is also a devoted family man. He met his wife, Michelle, in 1995, and together they built a life centered around the ocean. Their son, Braiden, works in the global yachting industry, while their daughter, Kai, helps manage the Coatesman’s Spearfishing brand and website. Michelle shares their love for the sea as a personal trainer, leading beach fitness classes along their home coastline.
For the Coates family, life revolves around saltwater, surfboards, and spearguns — a simple, tropical rhythm that inspires everything Chris designs, tests, and shares through Coatesman’s Spearfishing. It is a brand built on generations of ocean knowledge, South African craftsmanship, and authentic spearfishing heritage.
