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This is a very general question. The best advice I can give you is to search on the forum for keel types and also just do a basic google search to really get into this issue.
Short answer version: There are many different keel types/shapes. Shoal refers to a shallow draft boat that is probably designed for sailing in shallower water. There are also Fin keel, Wing Keels, Full Keels, Bulb Keels, Centerboard Keels, Daggerboards, and many hybrids of all these kinds as well as others. They all have certain implications as to what type of sailing they may do, but to know what kind of sailing a boat is aimed at you must look at the complete design of the boat including rig, hull, interior, systems, keel... you get the picture.
Can you be more specific? As Chad pointed out there is a huge variety of keel shapes.
A shole keel will be have a shallow draft than that designs deep keel. But it doesn't carry from boat to boat. So a Beneteau 50 deep draft, is still a few feet shallower than an Open 50 shoal draft.
I would second Jeff's post. He doesn't go into some of the other foils that are out there today, but gets the major ones.
Keel and fin design has become a major part of modern boat design, and there are almost as many variations as there are designers.
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