<PAGE>   1
     As Filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March __, 1996

                                                      Registration No. 33-
================================================================================

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                       ----------------------------------

                                    FORM S-8
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                      Under
                           The Securities Act of 1933

                             ----------------------


                               WEST COAST BANCORP
               (Exact name of issuer as specified on its charter)

             OREGON                                              93-0810577
(State or other jurisdiction of                               (I.R.S. employer
incorporation or organization)                               identification no.)

                        5335 S.W. MEADOWS ROAD, SUITE 201
                            LAKE OSWEGO, OREGON 97035
                    (Address of principal executive offices)

          WEST COAST BANCORP COMBINED 1991 INCENTIVE STOCK OPTION PLAN
                     AND 1991 NONQUALIFIED STOCK OPTION PLAN
                            (Full title of the plan)

                  Please send copies of all communications to:

CORA A. HALLAUER                                   STEPHEN M. KLEIN, ESQ.
Senior Vice President and Secretary
West Coast Bancorp
c/o Commercial Bank                                Graham & Dunn, P.C.
301 Church Street                                  1420 Fifth Avenue
P.O. Box 428                                       33rd Floor
Salem, Oregon  97308                               Seattle, Washington  98101
(503) 399-2909                                     (206) 624-8300

               (Name, address including zip code, telephone number
                   including area code, of agent for service)
<PAGE>   2
                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                          Proposed     Proposed
Title of                                  Maximum      Maximum
Securities         Amount                 Offering     Aggregate        Amount of
to Be              to Be                  Price Per    Offering         Registration
Registered         Registered             Share(1)     Price(1)         Fee
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                <C>                    <C>          <C>              <C>     
Common Stock,
 No Par Value      1,000,000 Shares(2)    $18.375      $18,375,000      $6336.20
</TABLE>

(1)  Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the amount of the
     registration fee. Pursuant to Rule 457(c) under the Securities Act of 1933,
     as amended (the "Securities Act"), the price per share is estimated to be
     $18.375, based on the average of the high ($19.00) and low ($17.75) trading
     prices of the common stock, no par value per share ("Common Stock"), of
     West Coast Bancorp (the "Registrant"), as reported on the Nasdaq Stock
     Market on March 1, 1996.

(2)  This number represents additional shares of Common Stock being registered
     for issuance under the West Coast Bancorp Combined 1991 Incentive Stock
     Option Plan and 1991 Nonqualified Stock Option Plan, as amended (the
     "Plan"), together with an indeterminate number of additional shares which
     may be necessary to adjust the number of shares reserved for issuance under
     the Plan as a result of any future stock split, stock dividend or similar
     adjustment of the outstanding Common Stock, as permitted by Rule 416. A
     Registration Statement on Form S-8 covering an aggregate of 137,452 shares
     of Common Stock under the Plan was filed with the Securities and Exchange
     Commission on January 27, 1995 (Registration No. 33-88872).
<PAGE>   3
                                     PART II

               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

ITEM 3.  INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE.

         The following documents are incorporated by reference in the
Registration Statement:

         (a) The Registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year
ended December 31, 1994, filed pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), which contains
audited financial statements for the most recent fiscal year for which such
statements have been filed.

         (b) All other reports filed by the Registrant pursuant to Section 13(a)
or 15(d) of the Exchange Act since the end of the fiscal year covered by the
Annual Report on Form 10-K referred to in (a) above.

         (c) The description of the Common Stock contained in the Registrant's
Prospectus/Proxy Statement dated January 27, 1995 (the "Prospectus"), included
in the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form S-4 (Registration No.
33-88656), including any amendments or reports filed for the purpose of updating
such description.

         All documents filed by the Registrant pursuant to Sections 13(a),
13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act, after the date hereof and prior to the
filing of a post-effective amendment which indicates that all securities offered
hereby have been sold or which deregisters all securities covered hereby then
remaining unsold, shall also be deemed to be incorporated by reference in this
Registration Statement and to be a part hereof commencing on the respective
dates on which such documents are filed.

ITEM 6.  INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS.

         The Registrant's Restated Articles of Incorporation (the "Articles")
provide that the Registrant must indemnify each of its directors to the fullest
extent permitted under the Oregon Business Corporation Act (the "OBCA") against
all liabilities incurred by the director because the director is or was a
director of the Registrant, or is or was serving at the request of the
Registrant as a director, officer, partner, trustee, employee, or agent of
another foreign or domestic corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust,
employee benefit plan, or other enterprise. To the fullest extent permitted by
OBCA, the Registrant's Restated Bylaws (the "Bylaws") also require the
indemnification of a director or officer and permit the indemnification of an
employee or agent of the Registrant made or threatened to be made a party to a
proceeding because such person is or was a director, officer, employee, or agent
of the Registrant, including any predecessor to the Registrant which ceased to
exist in a merger or other transaction, against all liabilities (including
amounts paid in settlement) incurred in the proceeding and against expenses with
respect to the

                                               
                                        3
<PAGE>   4
proceeding (including attorney fees) if: (a) the conduct of the director,
officer, employee, or agent was in good faith; (b) the director, officer,
employee, or agent reasonably believed the conduct was in the best interest of
the corporation, or at least not opposed to its best interest; and (c) in the
case of a criminal proceeding, the director, officer, employee, or agent is
likewise entitled to indemnification, except that no indemnification shall be
made, unless deemed proper by the court in which the matter is pending, if: (i)
the act of omission of the director, officer, employee, or agent was not in good
faith, involved intentional misconduct or knowing violation of law; (ii) the
director, officer, employee, or agent received an improper personal benefit;
(iii) the director, officer, employee, or agent breached a duty of loyalty to
the Registrant; or (iv) the director or officer received a distribution that is
unlawful under Oregon law. Indemnification is made pursuant to these provisions
upon a finding that the indemnitee has met the applicable standard of conduct,
which finding must be made by a majority vote of the Board of Directors, or, in
certain circumstances, by a duly designated committee of the Board of Directors,
by special legal counsel, or by the shareholders of the Registrant.

         The Articles permit the Registrant to provide further indemnification
rights to its directors, officers, employees, and agents as permitted by law.
The Registrant has provided such additional indemnification rights to its
directors, officers, employees, and agents in the Bylaws, and in indemnification
agreements entered into with certain of its directors and officers.

         The effect of these provisions is potentially to indemnify the
Registrant's directors from all costs and expenses of liability incurred by them
in connection with any action, suit or proceeding in which they are involved by
reason of their affiliation with the Registrant.

ITEM 8.  EXHIBITS.

Exhibit Number                     Description

    5.1          Opinion of Graham & Dunn, P.C. regarding legality of the Common
                 Stock to be registered

   23.1          Consent of Arthur Andersen LLP

   23.2          Consent of Graham & Dunn, P.C. (included in opinion filed as
                 Exhibit 5.1)

   24.1          Power of Attorney (see Signature Pages and certified
                 resolutions of the Registrant's Board of Directors)

   99.1          West Coast Bancorp Combined 1991 Incentive Stock Option Plan
                 and 1991 Nonqualified Stock Option Plan

   99.2          Form of Option Grant under West Coast Bancorp Combined 1991
                 Incentive Stock Option Plan and 1991 Nonqualified Stock Option
                 Plan

                                               
                                        4
<PAGE>   5
ITEM 9.  UNDERTAKINGS.

A.       The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:

         (1)   To file during any period in which offers or sales are being 
made, a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement:

               (i)   To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of 
the Securities Act;

               (ii)  To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising
after the effective date of the Registration Statement (or the most recent
post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate,
represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the Registration
Statement;

               (iii) To include any material information with respect to the
plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the Registration Statement or
any material change to such information in the Registration Statement;

provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) do not apply if the
information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those
paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed by the Registrant pursuant to
Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that are incorporated by
reference in the Registration Statement.

         (2)   That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the
Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new
registration statement relating to the securities offered therein and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.

         (3)   To remove from registration by means of a post-effective 
amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the
termination of the offering.

B.       The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of
determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the
Registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the
Exchange Act that is incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement
shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities
offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be
deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

C.       Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities
Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the
Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Registrant
has been advised that in the opinion of the Commission such indemnification is
against public policy as expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable.
In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other
than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director,
officer of controlling person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any

                                               
                                        5
<PAGE>   6
action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling
person in connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will,
unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling
precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether
such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and
will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

                                               
                                        6
<PAGE>   7
                                   SIGNATURES

         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, the Registrant
certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the
requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration
Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, in the City of Salem, State of Oregon, on the 29th day of February,
1996.

                                          WEST COAST BANCORP

                                          By /s/ Cora A. Hallauer
                                             -----------------------------------
                                             Cora A. Hallauer
                                             Senior Vice President and Secretary

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

         Each person whose individual signature appears below hereby authorizes
and appoints Victor L. Bartruff, Rodney B. Tibbatts, Cora A. Hallauer and Donald
A. Kalkofen, and each of them, with full power of substitution and full power to
act without the other, as his true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent to act
in his name, place and stead and to execute in the name and on behalf of each
person, individually and in each capacity stated below, and to file any and all
amendments to this Registration Statement, including any and all post-effective
amendments.

         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, this Power of
Attorney has been signed by the following persons in the capacities indicated,
on the 29th day of February, 1996.

          Signature                                   Title
          ---------                                   -----

/s/ Victor L. Bartruff           Co-President and Co-Chief Executive Officer
----------------------             and Director (Co-Principal Executive Officer)
Victor L. Bartruff                 

/s/ Rodney B. Tibbatts           Co-President and Co-Chief Executive Officer
----------------------             and Director (Co-Principal Executive Officer)
Rodney B. Tibbatts                 

/s/ Donald A. Kalkofen           Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer
----------------------             (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)
Donald A. Kalkofen                 

                                               
                                        7
<PAGE>   8
 /s/ Lester D. Green                        Chairman of the Board
----------------------             
Lester D. Green

 /s/ Gary D. Putnam                         Vice Chairman of the Board
----------------------             
Gary D. Putnam

 /s/ Lloyd D. Ankeny                        Director
----------------------             
Lloyd D. Ankeny

 /s/ Phillip G. Bateman                     Director
----------------------             
Phillip G. Bateman

 /s/ Chester C. Clark                       Director
----------------------             
Chester C. Clark

 /s/ Stanley M. Green                       Director
----------------------             
Stanley M. Green

 /s/ William B. Loch                        Director
----------------------             
William B. Loch

 /s/ Jack E. Long                           Director
----------------------             
Jack E. Long

 /s/ C. Douglas McGregor                    Director
----------------------             
C. Douglas McGregor

                                            Director
----------------------             
Robert D. Morrison

 /s/ J. F. Ouderkirk                        Director
----------------------             
J. F. Ouderkirk


                                       8
<PAGE>   9
                                    EXHIBITS

Exhibit Number                                       Description

    5.1          Opinion of Graham & Dunn, P.C. regarding legality of the Common
                 Stock to be registered

   23.1          Consent of Arthur Andersen LLP

   23.2          Consent of Graham & Dunn, P.C. (included in opinion filed as
                 Exhibit 5.1)

   24.1          Power of Attorney (see Signature Pages and certified
                 resolutions of the Registrant's Board of Directors)

   99.1          West Coast Bancorp Combined 1991 Incentive Stock Option Plan
                 and 1991 Nonqualified Stock Option Plan

   99.2          Form of Option Grant under West Coast Bancorp Combined 1991
                 Incentive Stock Option Plan and 1991 Nonqualified Stock Option
                 Plan

                                               
                                        9
[{"type": "S-8", "sequence": "1", "description": "FORM S-8 FOR WEST COAST BANCORP", "secsgml_size_bytes": 18048}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "WEST COAST BANCORP /NEW/OR/", "cik": "0000717059", "assigned-sic": "6022", "irs-number": "930810577", "state-of-incorporation": "OR", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "S-8", "act": "33", "file-number": "333-01651", "film-number": "96533834"}, "business-address": {"street1": "5000 SW MEADOWS RD", "street2": "SUITE 100", "city": "LAKE OSWEGO", "state": "OR", "zip": "97305", "phone": "5036245864"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "5000 SW MEADOWS RD", "street2": "SUITE 100", "city": "LAKE OSWEGO", "state": "OR", "zip": "97035"}, "former-company": {"former-conformed-name": "COMMERCIAL BANCORP", "date-changed": "19920703"}}
1
     As Filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March __, 1996

                                                      Registration No. 33-
================================================================================

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                       ----------------------------------

                                    FORM S-8
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                      Under
                           The Securities Act of 1933

                             ----------------------

                               WEST COAST BANCORP
               (Exact name of issuer as specified on its charter)

             OREGON                                              93-0810577
(State or other jurisdiction of                               (I.R.S. employer
incorporation or organization)                               identification no.)

                        5335 S.W. MEADOWS ROAD, SUITE 201
                            LAKE OSWEGO, OREGON 97035
                    (Address of principal executive offices)

          WEST COAST BANCORP COMBINED 1991 INCENTIVE STOCK OPTION PLAN
                     AND 1991 NONQUALIFIED STOCK OPTION PLAN
                            (Full title of the plan)

                  Please send copies of all communications to:

CORA A. HALLAUER                                   STEPHEN M. KLEIN, ESQ.
Senior Vice President and Secretary
West Coast Bancorp
c/o Commercial Bank                                Graham & Dunn, P.C.
301 Church Street                                  1420 Fifth Avenue
P.O. Box 428                                       33rd Floor
Salem, Oregon  97308                               Seattle, Washington  98101
(503) 399-2909                                     (206) 624-8300

               (Name, address including zip code, telephone number
                   including area code, of agent for service)
2
                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
Proposed     Proposed
Title of                                  Maximum      Maximum
Securities         Amount                 Offering     Aggregate        Amount of
to Be              to Be                  Price Per    Offering         Registration
Registered         Registered             Share(1)     Price(1)         Fee
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Common Stock,
 No Par Value      1,000,000 Shares(2)    $18.375      $18,375,000      $6336.20
(1)  Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the amount of the
     registration fee. Pursuant to Rule 457(c) under the Securities Act of 1933,
     as amended (the "Securities Act"), the price per share is estimated to be
     $18.375, based on the average of the high ($19.00) and low ($17.75) trading
     prices of the common stock, no par value per share ("Common Stock"), of
     West Coast Bancorp (the "Registrant"), as reported on the Nasdaq Stock
     Market on March 1, 1996.

(2)  This number represents additional shares of Common Stock being registered
     for issuance under the West Coast Bancorp Combined 1991 Incentive Stock
     Option Plan and 1991 Nonqualified Stock Option Plan, as amended (the
     "Plan"), together with an indeterminate number of additional shares which
     may be necessary to adjust the number of shares reserved for issuance under
     the Plan as a result of any future stock split, stock dividend or similar
     adjustment of the outstanding Common Stock, as permitted by Rule 416. A
     Registration Statement on Form S-8 covering an aggregate of 137,452 shares
     of Common Stock under the Plan was filed with the Securities and Exchange
     Commission on January 27, 1995 (Registration No. 33-88872).
3
                                     PART II

               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

ITEM 3.  INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE.

         The following documents are incorporated by reference in the
Registration Statement:

         (a) The Registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year
ended December 31, 1994, filed pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), which contains
audited financial statements for the most recent fiscal year for which such
statements have been filed.

         (b) All other reports filed by the Registrant pursuant to Section 13(a)
or 15(d) of the Exchange Act since the end of the fiscal year covered by the
Annual Report on Form 10-K referred to in (a) above.

         (c) The description of the Common Stock contained in the Registrant's
Prospectus/Proxy Statement dated January 27, 1995 (the "Prospectus"), included
in the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form S-4 (Registration No.
33-88656), including any amendments or reports filed for the purpose of updating
such description.

         All documents filed by the Registrant pursuant to Sections 13(a),
13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act, after the date hereof and prior to the
filing of a post-effective amendment which indicates that all securities offered
hereby have been sold or which deregisters all securities covered hereby then
remaining unsold, shall also be deemed to be incorporated by reference in this
Registration Statement and to be a part hereof commencing on the respective
dates on which such documents are filed.

ITEM 6.  INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS.

         The Registrant's Restated Articles of Incorporation (the "Articles")
provide that the Registrant must indemnify each of its directors to the fullest
extent permitted under the Oregon Business Corporation Act (the "OBCA") against
all liabilities incurred by the director because the director is or was a
director of the Registrant, or is or was serving at the request of the
Registrant as a director, officer, partner, trustee, employee, or agent of
another foreign or domestic corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust,
employee benefit plan, or other enterprise. To the fullest extent permitted by
OBCA, the Registrant's Restated Bylaws (the "Bylaws") also require the
indemnification of a director or officer and permit the indemnification of an
employee or agent of the Registrant made or threatened to be made a party to a
proceeding because such person is or was a director, officer, employee, or agent
of the Registrant, including any predecessor to the Registrant which ceased to
exist in a merger or other transaction, against all liabilities (including
amounts paid in settlement) incurred in the proceeding and against expenses with
respect to the

                                               
                                        3
4
proceeding (including attorney fees) if: (a) the conduct of the director,
officer, employee, or agent was in good faith; (b) the director, officer,
employee, or agent reasonably believed the conduct was in the best interest of
the corporation, or at least not opposed to its best interest; and (c) in the
case of a criminal proceeding, the director, officer, employee, or agent is
likewise entitled to indemnification, except that no indemnification shall be
made, unless deemed proper by the court in which the matter is pending, if: (i)
the act of omission of the director, officer, employee, or agent was not in good
faith, involved intentional misconduct or knowing violation of law; (ii) the
director, officer, employee, or agent received an improper personal benefit;
(iii) the director, officer, employee, or agent breached a duty of loyalty to
the Registrant; or (iv) the director or officer received a distribution that is
unlawful under Oregon law. Indemnification is made pursuant to these provisions
upon a finding that the indemnitee has met the applicable standard of conduct,
which finding must be made by a majority vote of the Board of Directors, or, in
certain circumstances, by a duly designated committee of the Board of Directors,
by special legal counsel, or by the shareholders of the Registrant.

         The Articles permit the Registrant to provide further indemnification
rights to its directors, officers, employees, and agents as permitted by law.
The Registrant has provided such additional indemnification rights to its
directors, officers, employees, and agents in the Bylaws, and in indemnification
agreements entered into with certain of its directors and officers.

         The effect of these provisions is potentially to indemnify the
Registrant's directors from all costs and expenses of liability incurred by them
in connection with any action, suit or proceeding in which they are involved by
reason of their affiliation with the Registrant.

ITEM 8.  EXHIBITS.

Exhibit Number                     Description

    5.1          Opinion of Graham & Dunn, P.C. regarding legality of the Common
                 Stock to be registered

   23.1          Consent of Arthur Andersen LLP

   23.2          Consent of Graham & Dunn, P.C. (included in opinion filed as
                 Exhibit 5.1)

   24.1          Power of Attorney (see Signature Pages and certified
                 resolutions of the Registrant's Board of Directors)

   99.1          West Coast Bancorp Combined 1991 Incentive Stock Option Plan
                 and 1991 Nonqualified Stock Option Plan

   99.2          Form of Option Grant under West Coast Bancorp Combined 1991
                 Incentive Stock Option Plan and 1991 Nonqualified Stock Option
                 Plan

                                               
                                        4
5
ITEM 9.  UNDERTAKINGS.

A.       The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:

         (1)   To file during any period in which offers or sales are being 
made, a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement:

               (i)   To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of 
the Securities Act;

               (ii)  To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising
after the effective date of the Registration Statement (or the most recent
post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate,
represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the Registration
Statement;

               (iii) To include any material information with respect to the
plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the Registration Statement or
any material change to such information in the Registration Statement;

provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) do not apply if the
information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those
paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed by the Registrant pursuant to
Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that are incorporated by
reference in the Registration Statement.

         (2)   That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the
Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new
registration statement relating to the securities offered therein and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.

         (3)   To remove from registration by means of a post-effective 
amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the
termination of the offering.

B.       The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of
determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the
Registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the
Exchange Act that is incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement
shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities
offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be
deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

C.       Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities
Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the
Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Registrant
has been advised that in the opinion of the Commission such indemnification is
against public policy as expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable.
In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other
than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director,
officer of controlling person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any

                                               
                                        5
6
action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling
person in connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will,
unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling
precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether
such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and
will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

                                               
                                        6
7
                                   SIGNATURES

         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, the Registrant
certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the
requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration
Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, in the City of Salem, State of Oregon, on the 29th day of February,
1996.

                                          WEST COAST BANCORP

                                          By /s/ Cora A. Hallauer
                                             -----------------------------------
                                             Cora A. Hallauer
                                             Senior Vice President and Secretary

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

         Each person whose individual signature appears below hereby authorizes
and appoints Victor L. Bartruff, Rodney B. Tibbatts, Cora A. Hallauer and Donald
A. Kalkofen, and each of them, with full power of substitution and full power to
act without the other, as his true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent to act
in his name, place and stead and to execute in the name and on behalf of each
person, individually and in each capacity stated below, and to file any and all
amendments to this Registration Statement, including any and all post-effective
amendments.

         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, this Power of
Attorney has been signed by the following persons in the capacities indicated,
on the 29th day of February, 1996.

          Signature                                   Title
          ---------                                   -----

/s/ Victor L. Bartruff           Co-President and Co-Chief Executive Officer
----------------------             and Director (Co-Principal Executive Officer)
Victor L. Bartruff                 

/s/ Rodney B. Tibbatts           Co-President and Co-Chief Executive Officer
----------------------             and Director (Co-Principal Executive Officer)
Rodney B. Tibbatts                 

/s/ Donald A. Kalkofen           Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer
----------------------             (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)
Donald A. Kalkofen                 

                                               
                                        7
8
 /s/ Lester D. Green                        Chairman of the Board
----------------------             
Lester D. Green

 /s/ Gary D. Putnam                         Vice Chairman of the Board
----------------------             
Gary D. Putnam

 /s/ Lloyd D. Ankeny                        Director
----------------------             
Lloyd D. Ankeny

 /s/ Phillip G. Bateman                     Director
----------------------             
Phillip G. Bateman

 /s/ Chester C. Clark                       Director
----------------------             
Chester C. Clark

 /s/ Stanley M. Green                       Director
----------------------             
Stanley M. Green

 /s/ William B. Loch                        Director
----------------------             
William B. Loch

 /s/ Jack E. Long                           Director
----------------------             
Jack E. Long

 /s/ C. Douglas McGregor                    Director
----------------------             
C. Douglas McGregor

                                            Director
----------------------             
Robert D. Morrison

 /s/ J. F. Ouderkirk                        Director
----------------------             
J. F. Ouderkirk

                                       8
9
                                    EXHIBITS

Exhibit Number                                       Description

    5.1          Opinion of Graham & Dunn, P.C. regarding legality of the Common
                 Stock to be registered

   23.1          Consent of Arthur Andersen LLP

   23.2          Consent of Graham & Dunn, P.C. (included in opinion filed as
                 Exhibit 5.1)

   24.1          Power of Attorney (see Signature Pages and certified
                 resolutions of the Registrant's Board of Directors)

   99.1          West Coast Bancorp Combined 1991 Incentive Stock Option Plan
                 and 1991 Nonqualified Stock Option Plan

   99.2          Form of Option Grant under West Coast Bancorp Combined 1991
                 Incentive Stock Option Plan and 1991 Nonqualified Stock Option
                 Plan

                                               
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