Wikipedia
The Universal Rule (Universal Rule for Yachts) determined a yacht's eligibility to race in the America's Cup from 1914 to 1937 and for this the J-class was chosen. Boats built according to the rule reached their peak in the large J-class yachts. This Rating Rule is intended to calculate a rating for yachts, which can then be used to calculate its Time Correction Factor (T.C.F.) in order to have disparate yachts racing against each other. The first boat said to be built under the universal rule was Herreshoff's Doris built in 1905.
Before 1914, the Seawanhaka Rule was used for America's Cup racing, and after 1937 smaller boats were desirable, and so the International Rule gained popularity in the 12-Metre Class and smaller to the detriment of the M-class and smaller and became the standard. The 6, 8 and 12 Metre Classes and from 1948 on the 5.5 Metre, were the most popular and the 12-Metre was used for the America's Cup until 1987, the last year the America's Cup was sailed in 12-meter yachts.
Yacht designer Nathanael Herreshoff devised the rule in 1902 "Herreshoff Rule" and accepted by the New York Yacht Club as the rule-making body for 1903. Herreshoff had designed winning America's Cup yachts which fully exploited the Seawanhaka rule, which was based only on a yacht's upright waterline length and sail area, to create narrow boats with long overhangs. This reached its peak with Reliance, the defender of the 1903 America's Cup, which was described as a "racing freak", suitable only for certain conditions. This prompted Herreshoff to propose a rule which also took into account the displacement of the boat.
Usage examples of "universal rule".
Our modern scientists have discarded the ``noble savage,'' so dearly beloved by our grandfathers, and they have replaced him by the ``splendid savage'' of the French Valleys who 35,000 years ago made an end to the universal rule of the low-browed and low-living brutes of the Neanderthal and other Germanic neighbourhoods.
It is also, I believe, a universal rule, that a rudimentary part or organ is of greater size relatively to the adjoining parts in the embryo, than in the adult.
It is an almost universal rule that a private detective shall not make an arrest.
His argument was this: the arts alone distinguish men from the brutes and make life almost bearable - the arts flourish only in time of peace - universal rule is a prerequisite for universal peace.
Their warriors are smart, skilled, and aggressivesmarter than you are, by the only universal rule, if the Bug shoots first.
As an almost universal rule children, especially girls of about twelve, are centres of the trouble.