The Rigid Hulled Inflatable Boats (RHIBs) carried by your patrol boat have a maximum speed of 40 knots for short bursts, and a range of 120 nautical miles at 30 knots or 150 nautical miles at 15 knots. Given that they are slower and have shorter ranges than your helicopter, it is advisable to use the RHIBs to identify nearby contacts along the intended course of your patrol boat and use the helicopter to identify distant contacts or contacts that would require sending a boat on a course opposite of the intended course of your patrol boat (i.e. south in this scenario)
Continue to detect, close with and identify surface contacts using your patrol boat and it's embarked helicopter and small boats.