This paper describes an application of the adaptive finite element computations to a free surface flow problem in a canal. A-posteriori error estimates for the adaptive finite element computations are based on the dual extremum principles. Previously the dual extremum principles were applied to compute the upper and lower bounds of the added mass of two-dimensional cylinders in a canal[1,2]. However, the present method improves the convergence of the computed results by utilizing the local error estimates and by applying the adaptive meshes in the finite element computations. In a test result using triangular elements it is shown that the numerical error in the adaptive finite elements reduces quadratically compared with that in a uniform mesh subdivision.