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Warning: Assume that what I shall describe is a death trap and it is your look out if you go near the water in it but follow these words as a mind experiment at least.
DARK AGE BOAT
Requirements:
To be authentic in design and as authentic is construction and materials as is possible given money and skill restraints.
Like this Romano-British Effort
Build your own Roman-Celtic boat
As an interim and to get a thing that will float why not build a Romano-Celtic river craft? The nice thing is that as long as you keep it in proportion it can be any size you want, afford, can transport.
The key to the "celtic" construction, as in the bateau, are planks heavily nailed to timbers and through them with the nail turned over and driven back in. Planks for sides are flush not overlapped. cross bottom timbers with separate timbers nailed to planks. Seams luted with linen thread or moss and beeswax or resinn(can be mixed) for authentic or modern sealant for efficiency. Hand forged nails perhaps.
Illustration in Osprey Late Roman Infantryman "Plate G Special Operations Rhine crossing"
CURRACH
To be built on the principles of the Boyne coracle but like a double-ended Navog in design. Covering could be of leather but economics suggest a textile covering sealed and waterproofed by a tree sourced tar or pitch. Though leather or hide is the material spoken of in the tales of old currachs there is a case for cloth.
Cloth was available in Dark Age Britain and Ireland and in large enough pieces to make sails. Certainly in the 19th Century they used flannel for coracles. The resulting boat would be about half the weight of a hide covered one and more easily covered.
Basketwork skin or cloth covered currach
Boyne Coracle model
A SIMPLE PLANK-BUILT FLAT-BOTTOMED BOAT
Flat-bottomed boats are pretty near the universal solution to the problem of making a hole in the water and lining it with wood.
Begin with boards or planks or plywood strips 16 inches (c40cm) in width by c14feet by 1/4 to1/2 to3/4 inch thickness. 16 is better but if materials are difficult to get then follow the Nepalese plans. If you use two or more planks to the side then these can either be overlapped or flush, clinker or carvel its your choice and not difficult at this scale. Either can be regarded as authentic for Iron Roman and Dark Ages
Build it like a simple double-ended skiff, that is pull in the front and rear, expand the middle and fasten then bang on the bottom.
It is easy, honest. Let the shape of the stem and stern and the midships mould/frame give you the boat's shape which is a nice one.
Make it wider and shallower like a Somerset Turf boat. Complications like gunwales and chine logs can be avoided but are beneficial. Wrought iron nails are a nice touch; www.oldhousestore.co.uk is one source of traditional nails.
Use pine tar or substitute for coating the hull. Authentic oars or paddle can be carved or laminated up. Experiment with a small square sail.
Models for our boat:
Fishing boats for Nepal - The 3.2 metre fishing boat but see the comments in the plans that 4 metres was preferred.
Building the DH Boat - I like the methods but ours should be a double-ender, use a three-legged stool rather than a bucket to sit on and row as on 19th century Flatners.
See also pirogue plans for ideas, try googling for sites.
Basketwork skin or cloth covered currach 
Boyne Coracle model 