The new house is composed of three volumes which incorporate all living spaces, an elevator tower, a large oceanfront deck and a second small side deck, where one had previously been located.

Many raise the height of the freeboard (between the waterline and the deck) to make it harder for pirates to haul themselves up the side.

An example of this was when he made his pirate crew hide below deck and calmly sailed up to the side of a Portugese ship that was in Bahia.