This experimental study investigated on the eddy making effect on the roll motion of a rectangular barge in a two-dimensional wave tank. The structure was used to simulate a simplified rectangular barge in the beam sea condition. The structure with a draft one half of its height was hinged at the center of gravity and free to roll by waves. The rectangular barge was tested with regular waves with a range of wave periods that are shorter, equal to, and longer than its roll natural period. Particle image velocimetry (PIV) was employed to obtain the velocity field in the vicinity of the structure. The coupled interactions between the incident wave and the barge were demonstrated by examining the vortical flow fields to elucidate the eddy making effect during the roll motion. For incoming wave with a wave period same as the roll natural period, the barge roll motion was reduced by the eddy making damping effect. At the wave period shorter than the roll natural period, the structure roll motion was slightly reduced by the vertical flow around the barge. However, at the wave period longer than the roll natural period, the eddy making effect due to flow separation at structure corners indeed amplifies the roll motion. This indicates that not only can the eddy making effect damp out the roll motion, it can also increase the roll motion.