I have been told one can download for free, world charts from... http://opencpn.org/

You wont get free charts, but the nav program to display various types of electronic charts.

for the uk VMH offering as above, displayed in ocpn is very good. no connection with either, other than As a satisfied user and customer etc
 
The OpenCPN chartplotter software is free, and very, very good. You can add GPS and AIS with USB dongles so you can turn a laptop into a full-blown chartplotter for about £100.

The charts you are thinking of are CM93, and they can be downloaded using bitTorrent. Don't be fooled by the name, they aren't 21 years out of date. They were issued a couple of years ago and they are up-to-date with a few local changes that I know, so I have reasonable faith in the stuff I don't know too. If you need any help over bitTorrent, you could PM me.
 
I have used OCPN with CM93 (v1 or 2?) on a laptop from Cardiff to Inverary, etc and they are good 'cos they are, AFAIK,
pirated from Jeppeson. At CBYC they put me on the correct side of the pontoon. In Tarbert, Loch Fyne they put me on the
wrong side of the pontoon but you wouldn't use a chartplotter for berthing (You would???). I believe that CM 93 is pirated
from Jeppeson who have encrypted (somehow!) their latest version and you now need the appropriate key, at a price, for
each chart or area. Good reference charts covering most of the world but as "single" says VMH are very good and now cover
down as far as the Canaries.
Doug. Jekeeda 2. CBYC.
 
One word of warning.In the bay out of Tenby i had OPCN on too large a scale and (as with most chartplotters) the rocks didn't show until i zoomed in a bit. If your in company with other boats and have a smartphone, 'boatbeacon' app is good too to keep an eye out on each other (or for family at home).
 
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