Well, Harry, I read for pleasure, so tend not to research before I start a book. If I find I am lacking in technical knowledge, I don't mind researching during.....
I took a Patrick O'Brien book, (Master and Commander, as I recall) as well as a hefty tome on marine navigation, when I crossed the Atlantic by sail, as crew to a very experienced friend. Think I read the novel three times and the textbook not much. Turned out that A) Brazil is fairly hard to miss and B) The GPS worked just fine.
The friend, being an non english speaking french lady, was not terribly helpful with the nomenclature, but I worked it out anyway.