Since it was founded in 2009, it has grown from about 10 members to 50 and is beginning to establish itself on the local sports scene.
It has moved buildings and now operates out of the rebranded Owheo paddle centre, hoping to create a hub for all paddle sports in the region.
Alongside that, it has started to find more high-level competitors come from the South.
While there was still a long way to go, it was making great inroads considering the sport did not have a local club until eight years ago.
''It's becoming more established,'' club coach and founding member Brendon O'Neill said.
''Clubs need to have some depth, things like getting the annual accounts done.
''We've moved buildings and, obviously, we build up equipment as we get more funding and people are doing funding applications.
''All those sort of things take time, but we're making progress, I think, towards becoming more of an established club.''
The club focused on competitive racing and did not include disciplines such as slalom kayaking or canoe polo.
It faced several big challenges, particularly geographical ones, but it was trying to find ways to rise above them.
''There are some particular challenges being a Dunedin club.
''The way we try to cope with those challenges is more funding, really, because everything costs more from down here.
''One of the things we're working on is working with Canoe Racing New Zealand to try to make it more equitable. Most of the racing is in the North Island.''
While the club has a local paddle series over the winter, as well as attending two regattas at Lake Ruataniwha per year, the top competitors have to travel.
In some cases, that means four or five trips to the North Island, and boats need to be transported, as well.
To train at a high-performance level fulltime, athletes have to move to Auckland.
At the local high-performance end, athletes train on the water six mornings a week and do other cross training sessions.
Of the current crop, Lucy Matehaere looks a promising youngster.
The 16-year-old trains with the New Zealand squad, and has been invited to its high-performance camps in Auckland.
She had come to the sport as a result of competing in surf ski in surf life-saving, which O'Neill said was a common pathway.
Attracting more school-aged competitors was something the club hoped to do, as it looked to offer more for schools.
Last year it held the inaugural South Island secondary schools championships, in conjunction with the South Island championships in September.
It was hoping to do the same this year, as it looked to continue growing the sport.
''I don't see why not,'' O'Neill said when asked if the sport could become more popular in Otago.
''It's one of New Zealand's most successful Olympic sports.
''We've had some really great athletes like Ian Ferguson and currently we've got Lisa Carrington.
''So it's a sport New Zealand has traditionally done well in and it seemed crazy there was no centre for it here in Dunedin. We've got great water.
''So that was one of the reasons I helped found the club.
''It's hard work, mainly because it seems to have been a North Island sport.
''So we're chipping away at getting more competition down here in the South and getting more coaching expertise.''
The Dunedin paddle series will have its first event of the year at Watercooled Sports in Kitchener St on Sunday.
There will also be the kayak sprint racing weekend at Lake Ruataniwha, held in conjunction with Canterbury.
One paddle series event is scheduled per month through to the next South Island sprint kayak championships at Lake Ruataniwha starting on September 30.
