The move protects the company from creditors while it searchesfor a solution to its financial woes, including the sale of someassets. Additionally, however, the move shutters a 245,000-sfboat-building plant that employed 260 in a town of 883, making itvital not only to its employees, but also to the towns restaurantsand coffee shops.

According to the company, Seaswirl is the most profitabledivision of OMC and several companies are looking at a possiblepurchase. It is not yet giving up the names of potential buyers,however. Seaswirl moved to Culver from Canby in 1972. It was soldto OMC by Bob Trent in 1987. The manufacturing facility is on fiveacres in Culver's industrial park. It builds between 2,000 and3,500 recreational fishing boats each year.

The region is already suffering from job cuts at Warm SpringsForest Products Industries lumber mill and the Bright Wood Corp.wood products company. According to the Oregon EmploymentDepartments, Jefferson County's unemployment rate rose 0.9 percentfrom October to November. It now stands at 5.7%.