We happen to meet the parents of the guy that own the J120 and ask them what happen. They were not sure, but there was more then one whales, they felt that there were 4 to 5 whales and did not think the boat had run into the one. They had whales come to the boat several times. A naturalist, that they talked to said it has been seen, that a female whale will use a freighter to hide from males and maybe that was what have happen to the J120. That a female was trying to use the hull to hide from the males coming in to get at her.
I read some where that whales can hear each other at a range of over 200 miles. so I would thing that they know you are there and think that you know they are there and feel no need to fear you since every thing get out of their way.