diff --git a/doc/examples/config.json b/doc/examples/config.json
index b4f4ac11..df6261b0 100644
--- a/doc/examples/config.json
+++ b/doc/examples/config.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "race-name": "AC35",
-  "time-scale": 1000,
+  "time-scale": 1.0,
   "race-size": 4,
   "teams": [
     {"team-name": "Oracle Team USA", "velocity": 20.9},
diff --git a/src/main/java/seng302/App.java b/src/main/java/seng302/App.java
index 5f8d7292..7e00508b 100644
--- a/src/main/java/seng302/App.java
+++ b/src/main/java/seng302/App.java
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ public class App
 		int numberOfBoats = (int) fp.getRaceSize();
 
 		//get time scale
-		int timeScale = (int) fp.getTimeScale();
+		double timeScale = fp.getTimeScale();
 		race.setTimeScale(timeScale);
 
 		for (Map<String, Object> team : teams) {
diff --git a/src/main/java/seng302/FileParser.java b/src/main/java/seng302/FileParser.java
index 54586ad0..676d72ee 100644
--- a/src/main/java/seng302/FileParser.java
+++ b/src/main/java/seng302/FileParser.java
@@ -54,12 +54,13 @@ public class FileParser {
 	 * negative number, or containing non numeric character) or cannot be found.
 	 */
 	@SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
-	public long getTimeScale() {
+	public double getTimeScale() {
 		try {
-			long timeScale = (long) this.content.get("time-scale");
+			double timeScale = (double) this.content.get("time-scale");
 			return timeScale >= 0 ? timeScale : -1;
 		} catch (Exception e) {
-			return -1;
+			e.printStackTrace();
+			return 1;
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/src/main/java/seng302/Race.java b/src/main/java/seng302/Race.java
index e457e718..13fb898e 100644
--- a/src/main/java/seng302/Race.java
+++ b/src/main/java/seng302/Race.java
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ public class Race {
 	private PriorityQueue<Event> events; // The events that occur in the race
 	private int numberOfBoats = 0;
 	private long startTime = 0;
-	private int timeScale = 1;
+	private double timeScale = 1;
 
 	public Race() {
 		this.boats = new ArrayList<Boat>();
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ public class Race {
 	 * Sets time scale
 	 * @param timeScale
 	 */
-	public void setTimeScale(int timeScale) {
+	public void setTimeScale(double timeScale) {
 		this.timeScale = timeScale;
 	}
 
@@ -171,7 +171,7 @@ public class Race {
 	 */
 	public float getDistanceTravelled(long velocity) {
 		long timeDiff = System.currentTimeMillis() - this.startTime;
-		long timeElapse = timeDiff / 1000 * this.timeScale;
+		long timeElapse = (long) (timeDiff / 1000 * this.timeScale);
 		return timeElapse * velocity;
 	}
 
@@ -183,7 +183,7 @@ public class Race {
 		// iterates all events. ends when no event in events.
 		while (!events.isEmpty()) {
 			Event peekEvent = events.peek();
-			long currentTime = (System.currentTimeMillis() - this.startTime) * this.timeScale;
+			long currentTime = (long) ((System.currentTimeMillis() - this.startTime) * this.timeScale);
 
 			if (currentTime > peekEvent.getTime()) {
 				// pull out the event