The competitors are expected to have to endure hot, sticky conditions with plenty of rain forecast for the event which has attracted 777 rowers from 43 clubs around New Zealand.
The championships comprise 71 events with the largest number of entries in the men's club singles sculls with 36 entries.
Rowers from Oamaru, Dunstan Arm, North End and the University of Otago clubs have all travelled to Lake Karapiro, near Cambridge, for the event.
Dunstan Arm has taken 13 rowers to the championships and coach Simon Smith said the team had trained well and was looking forward to the racing.
It has a young novice four which would also race in the quads.
The crew of Sophie Smith, Isobel Herbert, Daendie De Beer and Malia Banks are in their first year of rowing but have made some rapid advances and will look to make an impact.
Smith and Jacob Flanagan will team up in the senior doubles while Smith will line up in the senior singles.
Flanagan and Greg McLachlan will start in the club doubles.
There are five grades at the national championships. The youngest is novice and then it goes from intermediate, club, senior to premier, which involves rowers who are from regional performance centres across the country. There are also two age-group categories.
North End has five rowers at the event with the club's biggest hope being Todd and Scott Bezett. The brothers are lining up in the senior pair and the under-22 pair.
The duo won a gold medal at the South Island championships in the senior pair so should be serious contenders. They did well at last year's national championships although it will be a tough ask going up to the senior grade.
On the way to Karapiro, the duo stopped at Lake Hood, near Ashburton, for a break and also got some training under their belt.
North End club captain Emma Wallace is starting in the senior singles and the club singles while youngsters Leah Anderson (18) and Ella Montgomery (17) will be competing in the club doubles and under-19 doubles.
The Oamaru club will have five rowers at the event with James Scott and Jarod Brensell the big hope, lining up in the senior doubles and pairs, and senior singles while Brensell will team up with schoolboy Logan Docherty in the under-19 double.
Jack Smith and Brodie McNeill are also a young crew who will want to make an impact.
The Otago University club has entered in 14 different events and has some chance in the men's quads with two different crews competing.
There is also a promising crew in the club doubles with former St Hilda's Collegeiate pupils Gabby Hunter and Josie Cook taking part up.
Otago University focuss more on the winter months and other regattas as training for the nationals is when most students are out of Dunedin.
Rain is forecast every day before wind comes in at the end of the week.
The finals are scheduled for Friday and Saturday with a reserve day set for Sunday.
